


Fragments

by Thecsquirrel



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Domestic Sanvers, F/F, Fluffy Angst, I might have tripped into some Supercorp, Kara Danvers/Supergirl sighting, Superfriends are in the building, a tiny bit of angst, adult themes and language, and sometimes more than a tiny bit of angst, kind of character studies, less than stellar parenting, slighlty fluffy, these characters often use curse words
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2017-07-20
Packaged: 2018-09-28 00:07:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 28,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10058216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thecsquirrel/pseuds/Thecsquirrel
Summary: A collection of Fragments from Alex and Maggie's relationship. These are loosely connected, but not really.  Just meant to be small snippets - literally fragments and one-shots.





	1. Playlist on Shuffle

**Author's Note:**

> Note sure how this happened, but here I am again. These feel like character sketches. In any event, I needed to get them out of my head. Here's hoping it makes sense.

It should come as no surprise, and in certain circles it is certainly no secret that Danvers women are made of steel.

Kara Zor-El: girl of steel; last daughter of Krypton; House of El; gifted the powers of a goddess by the yellow sun, and strengthened by the love and resolve of a human sister.

Alex Danvers. Alexandra Elizabeth Danvers. 

Alex is made of steel. 

And rage.

And fight.

But mostly steel. Battle-forged and battle-tested. Kara may be bulletproof, but Alex Danvers will jump in front of them anyway. 

Alex Danvers is all edges and angles and perfection… Until Maggie. 

Detective Maggie Sawyer. 

Maybe 5’2” on a good day. Mahogany colored eyes that are warm with a head tilt or searing like lava with a glare. 

Danvers women are made of steel and that steel now includes Maggie. Or actually, maybe, just maybe, Maggie is fire.

Yes, fire. Cause at those temperatures Alex is bending and reshaping- still strong-- but something else now.

Maggie is fire. Sometimes she smolders and sometimes she rages. She burns hot with high heat – white hot…Until Alex.

They are both disasters. Spectacular fucking disasters. Together.

Alex Danvers who had simply given up on trying to make intimacy work. Trying to make men work. Trying period. Maggie Sawyer who was content to never stay in once place too long with the same someone since they always left in the end. She was second best and second place and just not worth the time.

Yet, despite the missteps and the backtracking they had managed to not get out of each other’s way.

Sometimes Alex pinches herself to make sure she’s not dreaming. Sometimes Alex stares at Maggie in wonder when she sees her across the pool table at the end of a crazy day.

Sometimes Alex laughs out loud for no reason in the lab while she’s holding volatile liquids because she can’t believe she’s happy and she can’t believe this feels so right.

And sometimes she stays too long in the shower because she can’t stop the tears. They are mostly happy, but sometimes she is frightened. Sometimes she is worried that this will all end. Maggie will want someone less shiny and new.

And sometimes Alex's chests hurts because she's so happy and in love - yeah she is- And that this is the scariest thing ever! Thinks the woman who jumped into her sister's pod and said either she was coming back with Kara or not at all. 'With this shield or on it' my ass! She'd do the same for Maggie and it came as no surprise to her that she knew in her bones that Maggie would do the same for her.

Alex is smiling as she wakes, which is commonplace at this point because she can feel the presence of the woman lying next to her even before she opens her eyes. She opens bleary sleep filled eyes and they are quick to focus on the burnished bronze expanse of Maggie’s bare back as she sleeps.

Alex reaches out blindly for her phone next to the bed and deactivates the alarm that she knows will sound in another minute. No sense in waking her sleeping beauty. She smirks dreamily at the sentiment and rolls on her side, pillowing her hands under her cheek and just gazes at Maggie. 

Her eyes map the curve and dips and freckles and random chicken pox scar and the faint remains of a scar or five scattered across the canvas of her back. Thick black hair spills across shoulder blades and disappears into the pillow. 

Alex can’t help but inch closer. The movement is practically involuntary as if tethered to Maggie. As if she is on a lead being drawn into the other woman’s body. Training and discipline keeps Alex from nestling against the other woman. Instead she holds a trembling hand above a toned arm and she fights not to touch. Not to wake. And that’s really all she’s doing – just looking--taking Maggie in and perhaps praying. 

The smaller woman is sleeping hard and Alex knows what it’s like to just need to sleep, so she presses a whisper of a kiss to a bare shoulder before she eases out of the bed. She stops for a bit when she sees Maggie roll to her stomach. Alex cringes and stops. But then she hears a soft snore as Maggie snuggles Alex’s pillow and she knows it’s safe to move. 

\----

This is the routine. Even on a Saturday where neither of them have to be anywhere or on call.

Alex is up with the sun and running. In Midvale it was up with the sun to surf, but here it’s the pavement that greets her. The agent knows that the detective will sleep for at least another hour before she stirs and then she’ll take a shower, throw on a pair of her sweats – seeing as how so many of her clothes have made it to Alex’s in the past two weeks – and the shirt she commandeered from the taller woman, and then she will shuffle around the kitchen with some bluesy playlist in the background providing a soundtrack for breakfast.

The February morning is brisk for National City, but it’s good for running and the cool air lets her push herself a touch more. She needs to push. Long steady legs carry Alex into the first mile of her run as she hits the volume on her earbuds and Siouxsie and the Banshees spill into her ears to urge her on. The last few days have been intense and trying but ultimately she is where she wants to be and most important, Maggie is where she wants to be – with her. She hits the second mile and her pace is steady and just to the edge of bruising. She thinks about the amazing woman that she’s running towards – and that is what she’s doing to be honest – the amazing woman that will be just rising from her bed (their bed) with sleep tousled hair, topless, purple boy shorts, and one sock. The other sock is somewhere tangled in the sheets. Alex had complained about her cold toes and so she went to bed with socks on the night before. Alex grins and pushes herself up the incline with the Beastie Boy on her heels.

Four months and six days since Maggie kissed her. Add to that three weeks since Alex had thrown her good sense out of the window and risked that kiss. And just for shits and giggles, add three months since that tarmac encounter. Immovable object. Unstoppable force. Set on the same path. Inevitable.

Alex is hitting mile three and her calves are starting to burn. Soon the sensation will spread to her thighs and then she’ll feel the burn in her biceps and eventually her shoulders. It will hurt, but in the end, it’s a good burn and Alex Danvers is made for this. She wasn’t built for it in the beginning, but she has become this – this steel.

Saul Williams blares into her eardrums and the driving bass spurs her on as her body wants to protest, but Alex Danvers does not give in to pain. She too has a list of demands and as she powers toward the fourth mile which will begin her circuit back to home (back to Maggie) her muscles protest. Alex’s responds with a grunt and she finds another gear as she lets her mind wander over the dark creases of the last few days.

The 14th had started with such promise. She knew it was a cheesy commercial holiday, but then again she hadn’t had anyone she even wanted to stand in the same room with on Valentine’s day until Maggie, so why shouldn’t she want the magic of the day? Her cheeks burn with a tinge of embarrassment as she remembers her attempt to change Maggie’s mind. The curated playlist, the bonsai, the scotch, that damn cake and of course the lingerie. She had stood in Victoria Secret’s and stared at that damn ensemble for 45 minutes. Who the fuck stares at a slip and robe for 45 damn minutes? What was the point even? Hopefully, the brash detective was just going to peel it off her anyway.

However, those dreams were shredded with Maggie’s trembling lip and furrowed brow. _“And that’s how I was outed,” she spat the words out._

Presently, Alex’s muscles didn’t burn as she hit mile five – they raged. The anger swirled and swelled in her once more like a rising tide as she beat the pavement with her footsteps. The last two days were a mix of fury and forgiveness. Streaming tears tempered by soft touches. Long harbored curses soothed with teeth and tongues.

Alex thinks about the aunt that took her in. Alex thinks about the parents that let her go.

Alex thinks about how two days ago Maggie's text read: "Just need some space tonight."

Confused and coiled, the agent entered the DEO that next morning with rage vibrating off her. She beat the shit out of a dozen agents in the training room and it wasn't until a second agent left the room with a dislocated shoulder that J'onn flashes red eyes and sends Alex out.

He doesn't invade. He doesn't have to. Alex is broadcasting her fury. Her hurt. Maggie's hurt. 

"Why don't you take that out on the range Agent Danvers. It's easier to replace bullets than people.” With a curt nod, which is the closest she's going to get to a thank you, she leaves and does just that.

She fights everything in her to track down Eliza Wilke and commence to wiping her and possibly her family from the face off the earth. Instead she scribbles the name on a tiny post-it and hands it to Winn.

His eyebrows raise with excitement. He looks up expectantly at the tight-lipped agent dressed in her standard black DEO uniform. She focuses her eyes on a random screen and just folds her arms across her chest. He waits a beat, but somehow he knows not to ask and just to wait.

Finally, Alex exhales through her nose and focuses her eyes on Winn. “Just put her in the database. Nothing else. Don't look her up. Don't find her.” Her voice is raspy as if she’s been screaming at the wind all day.

Winn furrows his brow and shrugs a shoulder. He's confused.

She sighs realizing that he can’t read her mind. “I just want an alert, if anything happens to her. A parking ticket. A law suit. Or she wins the lottery.” She meets Winn’s eyes and speaks softly but there is still that menace in her voice. “Just an alert,” she rasps.

Winn is still perplexed but he knows that look. It's the "I can kill you with my index finger” look. It's the "there will be nothing of your remains left to find" look. He just nods and she disappears. 

Mile six is coming up and she’s hit that euphoric stage. Nothing hurts anymore and she’s riding endorphins and serotonin and the Alabama Shakes.

Alex remembers the feel of the red dress against her body. She remembers the look on Maggie’s face when she finally sees her in that ballroom. Alex’s heart swells and she is hesitant for just a moment, but then Maggie is speaking and telling her how beautiful she is, how amazing she is, and how she’s the reason. 

Alex Danvers with all her edges and angles nearly melts at that because she’s never been anyone’s reason. It’s been her fault before. It’s been her problem before. But to be someone’s reason. This woman. This fierce, loyal, complicated, perfect disaster of a woman wants to be with her. For the first time in forever she was enough and she was the reason.

The apartment building is in sight as Alex thinks about how two nights ago after their 'prom' Maggie had ravaged her. Maggie had wrecked her. Maggie had worshiped her. She damn near stumbles up the curb as the memory makes her thighs quiver for a different reason. The agent finally comes to a halt in front of the building and she bends over, hands on knees, and sucks in air. She stands tall after a moment and stretches her arms high to take in air and calm her heartbeat. She’s pounding the last of her water before trashing the bottle in the recycling bin and heading upstairs.

Alex is back and slipping out of her shoes at the door and her smile is bright, lopsided, and goofy because fuck if they aren't all domestic and in a happy routine. 

Her girl. Her Maggie. She’s at the kitchen counter island in the yellow-orange sunshine shirt she has claimed frying turkey bacon and whisking eggs. Coffee is percolating. Espresso in the Bialetti technically. It's Saturday morning, so Espresso it is. Weekdays are for coffee.

Long legs make quick work of the distance between them and they are kissing hello despite the sweat. Maggie doesn't mind. Alex could be covered in mud, blood, and bugs and she'd still pull her in for a kiss.

“How’s the weather?” Maggie is adding pepper and cheese to the eggs. She pushes a cold bottle of water towards the taller woman with her free hand.

A grateful Alex grabs the bottle and snaps off the top. “Brisk, but good,” Alex answers between guzzles of water. 

Maggie can’t help but stare at the taller woman as she leans onto the counter and finishes the water. “Thirsty?” She arches an eyebrow. Innuendo clearly implied.

Alex sputters and blushes.

Point for Sawyer. “Okay there, Danvers?”

Alex has no come back and they both know. Instead she just scrunches her face and tilts her head before laughing. She stands up and moves towards Maggie in her quest to recycle her now empty water. She leans in close to the smaller woman, who she still manages to be a full head taller than even without shoes. 

She presses her lips close to Maggie’s ear. “I am very okay.” She drags out the words as her warm breath teases at the curve of her ear.

Maggie shakes her head at the brunette’s swagger. Who knew? Well, she should’ve known. Maggie smirks and puts the whisk down so she can give her full attention to the woman at her side.

She presses the softest of kisses to Alex’s lips, now chilled from the water. She threads her fingers through sweaty hair and curtails Alex’s curly ends behind her ears. “Go shower, stinky.” She smooths over her teasing words with another kiss, this one still soft but longer and a playful bite to her bottom lip. “Breakfast will be here when you get back.”

Alex slowly blinks her eyes open as Maggie’s words finally make it to her brain. “Breakfast. Bacon. Yes, please.” Alex smiles that doofy smile that only Maggie (and Kara when she’s talking about Maggie) gets to see. She pecks Maggie’s check and then she’s loping to the bathroom.

Maggie stares after Alex’s retreating form for a minute before she turns back to the task at hand. The detective couldn’t help but laugh at herself. She thought back to two days ago when the honest statement rolled off her lips with ease and she knew she was right: they were perfect for each other.

Maggie hit the volume on the Bluetooth speaker and Etta James fills the space.

Fade out...


	2. Hold On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another Sanvers snippet with a focus on Maggie this time and some backstory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two ladies just won't leave me alone.

_“Bless my heart, Bless my soul,_  
Didn't think I'd make it to twenty-two years old.  
There must be someone up above saying…  
You got to come on up, You got to hold on.  
Yeah you got to hold on.” 

February ends with slick roads and grey clouds, so when March eases in with dry skies and a hint of sunshine both women jump at the chance to break out their bikes. On this morning they leave from Maggie’s and they ride into NCPD on the back of Alex's Ducati, since the detective left the cruiser at the station. It's a bit cold, but Maggie wouldn't give up the opportunity to cling to this woman for another ten minutes just to ride in a warm car.

She’s nestled tight against the DEO agent’s back as they take a curve and damn it, if she’s not exhilarated. Yes, it’s the roar of the bike, the sound of the asphalt whipping by, the g-forces pressing in on her body as the seasoned rider guides the bike through early traffic, but mostly it’s Alex. Her Alex. Hers. She knows Alex could open up the throttle and weave them through the cars and Maggie would fear nothing. She trusts this woman with her life. Trusts her with her heart. 

The normally aloof and cocksure detective had wanted so badly to not fall for the agent, but she was long gone the second Alex tried to pull rank on her at the airport so many months ago. Maggie remembers the black heels and the charcoal pant suit, along with the blunt edges of her auburn hair on a severe slant towards her chin. The “Secret Service” agent had stood her ground and rattled off the cookie-cutter ‘juris-my-diction’ crap and Maggie had wanted to kiss the condescending scowl off her face that day. The memory makes her warm even now as she squeezes Alex’s sides as they bump up the ramp into NCPD parking lot.

Alex cuts the engine as she pulls alongside a few parked cruisers near the entryway sidewalk. Maggie is off the bike and locks the extra helmet onto the seat just as Alex extends the kickstand. She removes her helmet so they can say proper goodbyes.

She tousles the wild loose curls at the ends of her hair. “Hey, we are having a sister night tonight. You can come if you want,” she pauses and looks down, suddenly finding the gold badge on Maggie’s left hip interesting. She glances back up as if sensing Maggie’s smirk. She continues, “you should." It sounds almost like a question which she repeats with a bit more confidence. “You should.”

Maggie catches the deep chestnut of Alex’s eyes and she can’t help the smile that makes her dimples pop. She loves how Alex wants to be in her presence; how Alex has become her family. Maggie knew this was supposed to terrify her – frighten her into running – frighten her into saying something that finally makes Alex walk away. She knew she was supposed to be petrified, but when Alex twisted her mouth into that shy pout or when she blushed to her ears or when she geeked out about some crazy science fact and especially especially when she looked at Maggie like she invented air - Maggie knew. Maggie knew how deep they had both fallen and she knew how far she was willing to go, if and when she was needed.

Maggie adjusts the gun holster under her leather jacket and sweeps her hair out from under the collar. “You know what, sister night is sister night. Go chill with little Danvers.” Her eyes are bright and her smirk causes her dimple to deepen. “Besides, isn't this like the first one in a couple of weeks.” The wink she gives Alex is meant to tease. She continues dryly, “I thought she was blowing you off." She meant it as a joke. Mostly. 

Alex rolls her eyes at the clear teasing. Maggie’s words are without malice, even if they are true. “Hey, be fair. When we first got together we spent a lot of nights together too.” Alex wiggles her eyebrows.

Maggie just grins and then nods in agreement. It's the truth, but something is needling her. Alex notices that the smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Something is off. She tilts her head a bit. This is clearly a habit she has picked up from the smaller woman. Alex shrugs and casually adds, "I'm sure she just wants to girl talk about Mon-El."

Maggie lets out a soft sigh that she barely realizes she’s let go. "Ah yes, the bartender." There it is—disdain. They both hear it and Maggie knows she's caught. Can't take it back.

Alex squints her eyes as she regards the woman standing in front of her almost between her legs. "You don't like him, do you?" Her tone is not accusatory. Not angry. Genuinely curious.

Sepia eyes suddenly find the chrome of the exhaust pipe interesting.

“Mags?” A finger under her chin lifts her head to get her attention.

Maggie smirks and looks up. They lock eyes and she realizes that she can’t hide from this woman. "Nope." She's honest. 

Alex grins in understanding. Admittedly, she was all for the guy and all for her sister getting some sense of happy, but as of late, even she had to admit that he was starting to get her hackles up. She absently toys with the buckle of Maggie's belt and then her grin disappears when she sees dark brown eyes glaze over for a moment.

Maggie is in a memory.

“Hey you. Where'd you just go?” Alex's voice is soft as she smooths a dark lock behind Maggie's right ear.

Maggie's eyes dart about for a moment alighting on nothing in particular. Eventually she sighs and shrugs her shoulders like a toddler at at loss for words. Finally, she meets Alex's eyes and they are warm and calm and steady: anchors. Strong hands and long fingers find their way to Maggie's hips, as she pulls her closer. Alex leans against her bike and Maggie is caught between her legs now. She's not going to let her run.

They stand there quietly for a few breaths. Maggie begins to fiddle with the ends of Alex’s leather jacket. The supple leather is comfortable, soothing. Alex remains quiet and just watches the emotions play over Maggie’s face. She’ll wait for as long as Maggie needs her to wait. 

Several heartbeats go by before she speaks. Her voice is quiet, not soft necessarily, but just quiet. It’s loud enough that Alex can hear over the traffic. "I know him,” she starts. “Well, not him, but that guy.” She sucks her tooth. “It's good to know that asshat transcends galaxies." The two women can't help but share a smile and chuckle.

Maggie huffs out a breath, letting some of the tension in her shoulders go, as firm fingers squeeze her hips gently. Maggie absentmindedly plays with the zipper of Alex's jacket, lightly dragging the pads of her fingers along the ridges of the zipper. She practically stares through Alex as she finds her voice again. "He's that privileged douchebag,” she begins again with a little more gravel to her voice than before. “He’s the guy that gets whatever he wants. He's the guy that takes and takes. He's the guy that rounds up his friends to pick on the black and brown kids in the super white high school.”

Alex manages not to let out the gasp that she wants to emit; however, she does tense and she knows Maggie must notice. But Maggie says nothing. Instead she keeps talking, the words pouring out like a popped fire hydrant. Darkened eyes are focused on some imaginary point on Alex’s collarbone as the words come fast. Alex doesn’t even breathe. Instead she just holds on tight to Maggie’s hips and her thighs press her close. Maggie may not be focused on her, but she can be assured that Alex is not going to leave her.

Maggie’s voice is steady as the words come out with a bit of force now. “He’s the snot who corners the small kid from Mexico in the bathroom with his boys and they beat him and damn near sexually assault him because they can.” Maggie takes a breath and for a second Alex thinks she’s done, but after a shaky breath she plows ahead because they both know she needs to get this out. She needs to say it so it will be unearthed and she can get rid of this feeling.

On she goes, “and because 'it's boys will be boys' and stuff just got ‘out of hand’ nobody gets in trouble. He's the guy where the closest thing to justice that he's ever going to see is the fact that somebody stole his jock strap and shoulder pads and covered them in itching powder so when he puts it in on at the next game he feels like his flesh is on fire.”

Maggie takes a breath and stops talking. The shorter woman goes quiet and there are more breaths that pass between them before she comes back to herself. She avoids Alex’s eyes for as long as she can, because she's waiting for the pity look. The "oh baby you poor, poor thing" look. It never comes. 

Instead Alex's eyes are hard and she is worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. Maggie is just watching and feeling. Even if they weren’t touching she knows the exact moment the agent tenses. She can feel her coil and clench. The thought and action stir deep in Maggie and the tingles reach her extremities.

In an effort to gather in her own rage, Alex’s eyes roam Maggie’s face as she catalogs all her favorite spots to kiss: her brow, the corner of her lip, her dimples, her chin, the side of her jaw. Alex lets out a breath that she didn’t even realize she was holding. The once reticent and resigned DEO agent is ass over heels in love with this woman and over the past two weeks her admiration and her need for this woman has only grown. She relaxes her features and tries to let some of the tension seep from her body. Maggie needs her strength at this moment and not her rage. 

There is nothing she doesn’t want to give to her. There is nothing that she doesn’t want to show her. And there is nothing that she won’t do for Maggie Sawyer – whether it’s eating stupid and not so bad tasting vegan ice cream or reminding her every fucking day how god damn worth it she is and how she, Alex Danvers will gladly spend the rest of life making sure she knows that to be true. As Alex breathes a steadying breath, she also knows that what she really wants to do is to go to Blue Springs, Nebraska with a strike team and burn the town to fucking ground and salt the earth. She won't ask for his name, or any of their names for that matter, because unlike Eliza Wilke, she will find this fuck face and rip his spine out through his eye socket. 

For her part, Maggie, still gripping Alex’s jacket just watches how Alex tenses and how her jaw flexes. She can see her eyes flash with anger and something else. Maggie hopes its not pity and even though she knows, hell she feels that pity is the furthest thing from her mind, she’s also had enough of memory lane. Maggie can feel Alex relax a bit and she takes the opening. The detective takes a breath and suddenly that invisible armor is on and they both know she must face the day. The demons of high school have been replaced by real live ones and at least with these she can seek real justice.

Maggie moves to step back and take off to work. Enough of flashback shit, she thinks to herself. Alex is still staring and now she feels antsy and skittish. She can tell Alex is gearing up to say something. And this is why she keeps it buried. It’s just better buried. Before she can walk off, Alex grabs her by the arm and pulls her back.

Alex’s fingers are suddenly in long dark hair and she is standing to her full height, pulling Maggie into a bruising kiss with fingers now at the back of her neck.

Maggie hesitates for the blink of an eye before she stops fighting and gives in to the way Alex wants her. Needs her. Protects her. Fights for her.

And that is what she is doing in this kiss. The agent is damn near consuming Maggie.

Consuming that anger. That hate. That rage. That fury. 

Taking it in and breathing out fire for her. Maggie is clutching at Alex's ribs, her sides. 

And damn it (or perhaps luckily), if it wasn’t for the honking of a horn and a clear, "Woo Hoo!! Go Sawyer!!”, bellowing from the parking lot they might have backed into a parked patrol car and fucked right there in the parking lot. 

Maggie has the good decency to be slightly embarrassed as they pull apart, but not before she nuzzles into Alex's neck for a last feel of her skin. With a pleasant shudder that runs up her spine and settles mercilessly between her thighs, she steps back.

"Hey lady." Alex speaks first. "I should let you get to work.” She stands up straight and runs a hand through her short hair mostly to keep her hands to herself. Alex is warm all over and the bike ride into work is going be fantastic torture.

Maggie smiles - dimples on full display with the blush fading a bit from her cheeks. "Is it wrong that I’m wishing for a crime spree right now." They both laugh knowing that they have a day ahead of them where they will be counting the hours until they can see one another again.

With a resigned sigh Maggie adds, "I'll call you later. And have a good sister night okay?” Alex frowns but nods. “No pouting,” she warns with a wag of a finger at Alex. “Besides, I need to do laundry." Brown eyes grow comically wide. “I have like zero clothes!”

Alex laughs and then smiles suggestively. Maggie knows where her mind and body is headed so she takes a step back. “Don’t even do it Danvers,” she warns playfully. “Work. Now.”

It is Alex’s turn to sigh dramatically. "Okay. Okay." Finally, she kicks a long leg over her bike lest she be tempted to reach out and touch Maggie again.

Maggie taps the handlebars on the Ducati and Alex revs the engine, eliciting a full smile from the other woman.

Before she puts on her helmet, she catches Maggie’s eyes and says, "Be safe.”

"You be safe," Maggie returns with a lopsided smile and then Alex is releasing the clutch and moving forward.

Maggie stares after Alex’s form as she zooms from the parking lot. It’s become a ritual of sorts in lives that are far from certain. They don't like to say good bye or even see you later because sometimes later is 36 hours and an alien menace later. But “be safe” means everything they can't say or have yet to say and hope to say, so for now it is enough.

Detective Maggie Sawyer watches the woman she loves disappear around the corner and she doesn’t fight the shit-eating grin that pulls at her lips because she’s beginning to believe that for once she too, is enough.

_Fade out._


	3. The Body Bag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maggie has a bad day which leads to some Heavy bag therapy. Sawyer at work. Some hurt. Some comfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is Angsty fluff a thing? Cause that's what this is really. Foul language and insensitive comments ahead.

Deep brown eyes followed the gurney with the black body bag until it was lifted into the Coroner’s van. She bit the inside of her lip and then promptly spit on the ground. For a brief second she wanted to see blood, just so it would add to pools of blood littering the asphalt; some of it even colored green. 

That blood belonged to Zagrev, Zags they called him. He was just a kid.

Granted the light years of travel probably aged him, but on Earth he had only been here three years and to detective Maggie Sawyer, like so many refugee aliens, he was just a kid. 

Zags had been of help to Maggie in the past because she kept him out of a DEO cell years before – before Alex – when her suspicions about a government black site were just rumor and back alley whispers. He always paid his debts and whenever the diminutive detective needed a little help he was willing and eager.

The current mess before her had been a drug bust. Pretty run of the mill, at least that had been the plan. The drugs were not so run of the mill, but in this area Narcotics and the Science Division agreed: get the drugs off the street. It should have been routine, but then Connaughton shows up with his rookie and Maggie knows this shit is about to go sideways. 

“Just showing him the ropes, Sawyer what’s the big deal.” He chewed his nicotine gum like it was going out of style and adjusted his pants in an effort to accommodate his bulging waistline.

Maggie rolled her eyes and kept her snarl to a minimum for the rookie’s sake. “What’s your name, rook?’ She tried to grin and hoped it didn’t look like she was baring her teeth at the kid. 

Lanky with a little muscle, close-cropped black hair, barely an inch of peach fuzz on his chin. He was wide-eyed. “Jeffrey, ma’am” He swallowed. “Officer Dillon,” he added belatedly. 

The brunette smiled for real and nodded to reassure him. “Just hang back and watch the show.” Her tone managed to be politely authoritative if that was such a thing. He nodded. “Should be routine. Simple buy and grab.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Maggie rolled her eyes. They were so cute this young. “Just Sawyer’s fine.”

“Yeah, just Sawyer, rook,” Connaughton groused. “She doesn’t like all that girly shit if ya’ know what I mean.” He elbowed the young man in the bicep.

The kid grimaced for a split second but forced a chuckle. 

Brown eyes that appeared to darken to obsidian cut to the portly man behind her. She put her hands on her hips and sucked her canine tooth at the older man. Christ, she just wanted to punch him in the jaw and bury her knee in his crotch. Instead she dragged her eyes from toe to head and snorted derisively. She then turned her eyes towards the young man next to him and smirked. “Hey rook, when you want to hang out with the big boys come find me. This old fucktard probably hasn’t seen a girl outside of a line-up in decades.” Sawyer winked as she watched the officer fight a smile.

Connaughton sputtered and started to say something, but Maggie just flipped him off as she turned her back and headed for the Tac van. 

Things had gone to plan. Until they didn’t. 

The buyers were cagey and it was going to fall apart. Sawyer and Grieson from Narc made the call and everyone moved in to snatch what they could. It wouldn’t stick as well as an actual buy would, but at least they would get the drugs off the street. 

In retrospect, they had too many bodies to cover between gang members and aliens and alien gang members. It was unclear who started the shoving, but before all the plastic zip ties could be doled out bodies were moving. There was shouting. There was scuffling. And somebody, (Maggie is a 100% sure it was Connaughton) yells, “gun!” In fact, they yell, “that E.T.;s got a gun!”

The shots were quick. Rapid. Over and done. 

Sawyer and Grierson were both screaming “stand down” as Maggie raced towards Zags while she watched him collapse. She found herself pressing a hand towards the gaping wound in his chest, but the other two holes make her her effort pointless. Zags is gone before she can even say his name. In the next moment, she was wiping his blood on her shirt and cursing at the ground. 

Sawyer was up on her feet and full of fire. “Who the fuck told you to shoot!?” she raged, as her eyes darted about. “How many of you fucking fired?” She lurched towards a small clump of Narco officers, but Grierson grabbed her by the bicep. She wrenched it out of his arm.

“Sawyer,” he warned quietly. She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration and walked away. He called after her, “we’ll sort this at the station.” 

She wasn’t listening.  
\---- 

She’s still not listening as she stands at attention -legs spread shoulder width apart, hands clasped behind her back, eyes front and center—as her Lieutenant makes a show of laying into her from the confines of her office. 

Siobhan Santiago, A veteran of 20 years, Dominican and Irish (don’t even ask, she always joked), steely grey eyes, and the mouth of sailor. They had bonded over assumptions about skin color, grandparents with accents, and what was the best blow dryer to deal with thick hair. They liked each other and she knew Sawyer to be by the book, whip smart, a little cocky, and loyal to a fault. She also knew Maggie Sawyer was a damn good detective who was dedicated to the people she helped. She almost hated to be yelling at her now, but she knew the shorter woman could take it and for the sake of politics, Sawyer was the best person to shoulder the blame. 

“At ease Sawyer,” Santiago let out a sigh as she finished her perfunctory tirade. The older woman rubbed her temples and sat back heavily in her chair. “Why don’t you go home and get some rest and we’ll sort this shit in the morning.” She sighed. “You did your best, Sawyer.” 

For the first time in five minutes, mahogany colored eyes focused on Santiago. “He was a kid, Lieu’”, she snapped off the words through clenched teeth. 

The older woman could only nod. There were never any easy words for this kind of thing. “Like I said, we’ll sort it out in the morning. I promise.” She held the detective’s gaze. “Go home, Maggie.” 

The sound of her first name hit her ears like a punch to the chest. Maggie nodded and quickly exited. She needed to get out and fast. Her goal was simple: Pick up her keys and helmet off her desk and walk out the front door to her bike and speed off. No stops. No detours. Maggie Sawyer was about to pop and she didn’t want it to be here.

She almost made it. She had swiped the keys from her desk and reached for her helmet when Connaughton’s gruff chuckle hit her ears.

“Buck up rook, no need to feel sad.” Maggie turned toward the sound of his voice. He was clapping a visibly shaken Dillon on the shoulder. “Those gang bangers know what they are getting into and that E.T. shoulda’ just stayed on his own planet. Coming here and adding to nothing but the criminal element. None of them are worth your tears, kid.”

Maggie Sawyer was seething. She pocketed her keys and walked towards the man two desks away. “That E.T., you xenophobic racist piece of shit, had a name.” She jabbed her finger in his direction and it took two seconds for the crowd to gather. “And believe me, in the three years that he was here, Zags was a far better human than you are and ever will be. You don’t even deserve that badge, you fat fuck.”

Connaughton unfolded his arms and stood tall as the smaller woman invaded his space. He’d been waiting for Sawyer to take the bait. “You stupid alien-loving mongrel wop dyke, I will fu-

The taller man didn’t get to finish his sentence. 

Seasoned by a decade of boxing, with a 2nd degree black belt in Jujitsu, and working on her first black belt in Akido, Maggie Sawyer balled her fist up at “you”, reared back at “stupid”, and unloaded the moment he took a breath. 

The punch was solid. The crunch and pop of bone was satisfying as she connected with his jaw. She used her legs to drive through the punch and it sent the 250 pound man sprawling across his desk; papers, pens, and equipment scattering to the edges and to the floor. Maggie was leaning over him and cinching his tie painfully into his throat, effectively cutting off his airway. “Why don’t you fucking do us all a favor and fucking quit!” She growled out her words and all the man could do was sputter.

Lieutenant Santiago’s voice boomed across the bullpen and the crowd parted like a highway off ramp. “SAWYER!! TWO DAYS! GET. THE. FUCK. OUT.”

Maggie backed off and forcefully stepped out of the hands that were tentatively attempting to pull her back. Much later it would register to her that no one had stopped her and in fact, she may remember a few whispered “atta’ girls” sent in her direction, as she gathered her helmet. 

She didn’t to look up at Santiago or anyone for that matter. Instead she cradled her helmet, zipped up her leather jacket, and strutted out of the precinct.  
\----

**Presently:**

Alex Danvers knew that the early morning drug bust meant an empty bed in the morning and it would probably be mid-day before Maggie could even answer her texts.  
She sent off her third of the mid-afternoon, knowing it probably would be closer to 2:00 pm before Maggie could answer back. Paperwork was a bitch assuming everything went to plan. Alex didn’t dwell as she hummed to herself and went to meet Vasquez and another agent in the armory. Inventory was boring. She pocketed her phone and headed down the corridor. 

Alex checks her phone at 3 and finally lets the first vestiges of worry creep into her psyche. She starts to text and then just hits the call button.  
Three rings and then voice mail. “Hey babe, I-uh I’m just checking in, I guess.” She chuckles, feeling slightly silly. “Anyway, can’t wait to see you, I missed your cold toes this morning.” She is smiling like an idiot and Vasquez, who was a room away but could see her through the glass, arches an eyebrow in amusement. Alex turns away. “So, yeah, uh, call me or text, when you get free. Love you.” She presses end and enjoys the moment for a second. The ‘I love you’ was new, but it was how they started and ended their days since finally uttering the words two weeks ago. 

_It was Maggie who dropped it first, perhaps by accident, but it was casual and seemingly off hand. Sharing a comfortable silence over breakfast. Reading the paper, Alex is listening to Kara relaying some crazy story, and Maggie just looks up from her double toasted bagel and says: I love you._

_Alex freezes. Maggie hears a gasp and quickly realizes that was Kara. “Did Mag-“, she can hear the reporter start. Alex hits the off button as her phone tumbles to the table.  
_

_Maggie’s lips curve into one of those full on dimpled smiles that makes Alex swoon and before she knows it her lap is full of Alex Danvers, who is smothering her in kisses and “Oh my God, I love you so much.” Needless to say, they are late for work that day._

Alex snaps out of her memory as she realizes Winn is calling her. She meets at his console. “What’s up?” He hesitates. The agent narrows her eyes at him. “What’s going on Schott?”

“Um, you talk to Maggie yet?”

Alex Danvers is shocked silent for a moment as she was not expecting that question. The panic is creeping and she grips the back of Winn’s chair and spins him to face her. “Why do I need to talk to Maggie?”

He can hear the panic in her voice, and before she even holds up her finger, he’s pushing away and holding up his hands in surrender. “It’s nothing,” he starts quickly. “Probably.” That was the wrong thing to say, as two fists are gathering him in by his collar and he’s being lifted to his feet. “Christ Alex, it’s about the bust. It didn’t go well; she’s fine, but the scanner said –“ 

She releases him with a shove and he collapses into this chair. His words register. Maggie is fine. The bust did not go fine. Maggie is fine. She takes a cleansing breath – maybe Yoga is working- and tousles her hair to relieve the tension. “I’m sorry Winn. You just freaked me out.”

He nods sheepishly. “Mostly my fault.” 

“So, what the hell happened?” She asks.

As he relays what he knows, she has started texting Maggie again. “Fuck this,” she grumbles. She punches number four on her phone, nods at Winn in thanks, and walks towards the stairwell. The phone picks up on the second ring. 

“James Olsen.”

“Hey, James, it’s Alex.”

“ What's up?”

“You talked to Maggie today?”

“No, I haven’t. Sent her text earlier.”

“So you heard?”

“Yeah,” he said with a sigh. “I sent Malloy over to the precinct to get some info. I can ask if he spoke with her.”

“Sound good. Um, and hey –

She doesn’t need to finish. “No worries. If I talk to her, I will let you know.”

It’s nearly 4 o'clock and she hasn’t heard from Maggie. James’ text comes back and says that she wasn’t at the precinct and from what he could gather she left less than happy.  
Alex groans and heads for the exit. J’onn just nods his approval. He doesn’t need to be a mind reader to know his best agent is worried sick.

“Hey Kara,” she begins as she’s weaving through traffic on her Ducati headed to her apartment. “I need a favor.” She takes a corner tight as she speaks into the Bluetooth. “Trying to track down Maggie. Hopefully, she’s home. Well, my place, but just trying to get in touch. Talk to you.” The message ends and the sound of asphalt and the exhaust swallow her up. 

Alex takes the stairs two at a time on long legs and practically crashes through her front door. Empty.

She checks her phone and still nothing. She contemplates her next move for a whole minute before she’s grabbing her keys and heads towards the front door intending to head to Maggie’s apartment. She knows how the other woman operates. Today was a bad day and on bad days sometimes Maggie just likes to find a hole to crawl into. Alex hoped the way to the hole wasn’t littered with shot glasses. Tipsy Maggie was one thing. But blackout sad, self-loathing drunk Maggie wasn’t good for anyone and honestly, she hadn’t been there in a while and neither had she, for that matter. 

Her phone vibrates as she reaches for the door. She swipes the screen and a picture pops up. It’s Maggie’s Triumph and it’s parked outside of Kara’s angry-time warehouse by the docks. Alex quickly sends a thank you text with five heart-eye emojis to her sister.  
\---

She can hear the music blaring before she even cuts the engine. _“My left stroke just went viral.”_

Alex eases open the door and the steady minor key strokes of Kendrick Lamar's "Humble" assault her. However, it's nothing compared to the assault and battery happening to the heavy bag.

It's pointless to be quiet because Maggie is in that adrenaline and anger zone.

Gloved and taped hands. Tank top drenched. Sweaty ponytail whipping against her neck.

She is a flurry of power and erratic jabs. The muscles in her arms flex and if the circumstances were different, Alex would be tackling the smaller woman to the floor, stripping her of her clothes and burying her head between her legs. 

Alex takes a deep breath and pushes down the throbbing pulse between her legs. Maggie was hurting. She didn't need Alex standing in the corner getting off on her pain. She peels off her leather jacket – revealing a light Grey Henley with the sleeves that hang to her palms. 

She shyly approaches the boxing woman, as if she isn't a highly trained agent that could drop a 200 lb man to his knees or kill one with a pencil. To Alex, the other woman might as well be a frightened wolf pup or one of those rescue Pitts that some idiot had tried to fight, when all they wanted was to cuddle. 

As she watches Maggie attack the bag with fists and forearms, she grimaces. Maggie was not quite ready for the cuddle stage. Instead, she moves towards the stereo and lowers the volume just a bit. Moving from deafening to bearable. If they wanted to talk, now they could.

Maggie’s normally espresso brown eyes were almost black and just a tad wet as they cut quickly towards Alex and then back to the bag. Her fists only slow for a breath and then she pummels the bag in a burst of fury - the staccato rhythm no doubt matching her thundering heartbeat. She lets out a pained guttural yell as she finally collapses into the bag. She just hugs the heavy bag. 

Alex bites her lip hard and crosses her arms across her chest forcing herself not to reach out for Maggie. Not yet.

She just watches the woman breathe for a moment. Her breathing is labored and she gulps for air. 

Alex waits. She fidgets. Not yet. Not yet.

And then the moment comes. Maggie's knees buckle and before she can hit the ground, Alex is behind her and cradling her, easing her to the ground. Maggie is in her lap, between her outstretched legs and in her arms before the first sob wrenches from her throat. 

The smaller woman squirms for a minute, desperate to fight, but Alex holds on for dear life. She keeps her arms locked around Maggie's with her face pressed to the back of Maggie's neck and shoulder and she speaks soft words to her. 

Her words are a litany. A prayer. A devotion.

"I've got you babygirl"; "I love you so much.”; “It's okay."; "You're okay."; "I've got you, I've got you."; "I'm here, baby."; "I'm not going anywhere."; "You are so strong baby."; "You are so good."; "I need you so much"; "I love you so much."; "My Maggie."; "Let me help you."; "I'm right here, baby."; "I'm right here."; "I love you I love you I love you."

At some point the sobbing becomes quiet whimpers and Maggie is no longer straining against Alex. Instead she goes kind of limp. Her head lolls back as she slumps, reclining against Alex and turning her head so that her face rests in the crook of Alex's neck. Her breathing evens out and it is steady and no longer frantic. 

Alex uses her right hand to wipe sweaty hair away from Maggie's face and with her left she begins to undo the velcro snaps of the gloves. The tape could wait, but for now the gloves were enough. "Be easy, baby. Just breathe. I've got you."

The women sit on the floor for who knows how long. Alex doesn’t care, she just keeps the woman cradled to her and presses soft kisses to her forehead and the side of her face. She can feel Maggie's breath against her neck and the vibration of her voice. It is muffled and too quiet.

"What's that baby?"

Red-eyed and cheeks puffy, Maggie sits up a bit and dares to look at Alex. "I'm sorry," she breathes out again and then looks down at the concrete. Shame radiates off her and Alex has to swallow her anger. She’s not mad at Maggie; never Maggie. But she is angry at the people who have filled her with such ridiculous notions. The people who have made her feel less than, the people who have made her feel like she had to be ashamed to cry and be a little messy sometimes.

Alex takes a breath and tips up Maggie's head with a gentle nudge of her index finger. "Mags, look at me."

Slowly, she coaxes her head up and they meet each other's gazes. Alex stares at her with all the love and compassion that she has felt bursting out of her every day since she has known this woman. She also hopes that Maggie sees that Alex is full of fight -- full of fight for her.

She must see, because her next words are, "you're not mad at me?" There was that small voice again. The 14-year old full of fear, disbelief, and rejection.

Alex smiles at her brightly. "Maggie, why would I be mad at you?" She cups her cheeks and smooths away her tears. "How could I be mad at you? My brave, beautiful Maggie. My warrior woman who goes headlong into danger." She manages to get a smirk out of Maggie for that one. "My amazing fierce Maggie. When I think about how much you fight every day for your friends, your team, for those beings who have been cast aside, how could I ever be mad at that? Maggie Sawyer, I am never not proud to know you and to love you. And while I know that I can't protect you from everything, I will always be here to help you put the pieces back together; put you back together." She caresses Maggie’s cheeks with her thumbs.

Maggie, for the first time, touches her hand to Alex’s as she cradles her face. "And sometimes you'll help me wreck shit too?" Her words are quiet. 

Alex exhales a laugh and nods as she rests her forehead against the other woman's "I will definitely definitely help you wreck shit. Always." 

They share a smile and it is Maggie that closes the distance and presses her lips softly, hesitantly against Alex’s. It is a soft press of flesh, but it is a show of connection that she can't quite voice yet. They pull apart and Alex still has her eyes closed as if she is praying. 

Maggie sits up straight and adjusts herself so that now she sits properly in Alex's lap with her legs encircling the taller woman's hips. She drapes her arms across Alex's shoulders and lets go of a deep sigh while looking down at Alex. Her position gives her a bit of a height advantage for once. She presses a kiss to Alex's nose and once more to her lips. "Alex Danvers, you are fucking amazing."

Alex blushes and preens at the compliment. She hugs Maggie to her before pulling back to gaze up at the woman in her lap. "I've got to keep up with you." They both chuckle at the level of sap.

Maggie tosses her head back in a bit of stretch and a laugh. "We are a mess." Alex nods in agreement. She trails her fingers across Alex's jaw, mapping her face for a moment. This face that she adores. This woman that she adores. Adores enough to stay when she wants run. Adores enough to be able to cry even when she wants to hold it all in. Adores enough to stop putting up so many walls. "Thank you for coming to find me." They stare at each other for a moment as her words hang in the air. Sure, Maggie was talking about this particular moment, but they both understand that Alex had found her long ago, as well. 

"I always will." Alex presses forward and kisses Maggie. Their mouths meld together in a kiss that builds in intensity as Alex suckles Maggie's bottom lip. Somebody whimpers and Alex's hands grip Maggie's ass just as the woman in her lap tangles her fingers into auburn curls. With Maggie's tongue in her mouth, it is Alex who clearly emits a groan as that throb of arousal resurfaces ten-fold. 

She pulls away with a gasp. "Holy wow! Okay." She says between breaths. "We should probably get out of here. I'd like not to defile my sister's safe space." Alex wiggles her eyebrows.

Maggie winks and manages to chastely kiss Alex. She stands up and helps the taller woman to her feet. Maggie is still unsure how in the world she has gotten this lucky, but she is learning to stop questioning so much. 

She bats her eyelashes at Alex. "You're right, the bathroom was bad enough." Her grin is smug. 

Alex rolls her eyes and twists her mouth into an amused smirk as tries not to laugh. "C'mon Sawyer, let's get you home." Alex slings an arm around the shorter woman's shoulders as they move to get their stuff and exit the warehouse.  
\--

From her floating perch above the warehouse a wide-eyed and red-cheeked Kara hovers higher. "M-my bathroom?!" Kara groans. "Oh Rao, not my bathroom," she whines before taking off with the sound of sonic boom in her wake and heads home, not bothering to give another thought to the two women on their bikes below her, racing home. 

 

Fade out.


	4. A Day in the Life...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a glimpse of Sanvers at a crime scene and working a case together. I feel like they try hard to be professional, but stuff happens. And there might be a Supergirl sighting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This really is a fragment of an idea and not really meant to turn into anything epic or a full blown story. These two just keep needling at me, so here I am once more.

IV. Part I. 

The black Suburban pulled to a stop outside the cordoned off alley and DEO Agent Alex Danvers stepped out in her tailored charcoal slacks, heels, cream silk blouse, and matching blazer. She quickly unbuttoned her blazer as she headed down the alley. Her eyes swept around taking in the scene as she was stopped by an agent wearing an 'FBI' windbreaker. The alley was a mess and that was in addition to the usual dirt, debris, and detritus of the alley. If the oddly shaped and colored body parts didn't give away that this involved aliens, then surely the smears of urine-colored blood going up - way up- the side of a brick building supported that hypothesis.

Alex barely glanced down as she scrawled her signature on the clipboard she had been presented, and instead kept her eyes affixed to a spot about 15 yards ahead. There, in what was her customary squat over the body, was one Detective Maggie Sawyer. Jean clad, violet v-neck t-shirt, and brown leather jacket with leather motorcycle boots that were the same soft brown of her jacket. Alex involuntarily let out a sigh and her eyes went wide as she realized the agent was still next to her. She pushed her libido down and affixed an annoyed scowl on her face. “Anything else Thomas?", she snapped. A wide-eyed Thomas didn't dare speak. She simply shook her head no and quickly turned back and headed away from the taller woman. "Get a grip, Danvers," she grumbled to herself and headed towards the crouching woman and the lab tech.

"What did I tell you about showing up at my crime scenes, Sawyer?" She smirked as she spoke, which belied the affected annoyed tone. 

In return, brown eyes quickly met Alex's and Maggie returned the cocksure smile. "You checking up on me, Danvers?" She stood and stepped towards the other woman, so that they were out of the way of the tech working.

Alex eased her hands to her hips and shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly. "Maybe I was bored."

"Right," Maggie started, as she openly appraised the woman in front of her in her customary pose. Lusty brown eyes moved up the length of Alex's legs in her fitted slacks, up her torso and the way the silk clung to the swell of her breasts and how the scoop neck exposed the delicious column of Alex's neck. She paused at her lips - which Alex was licking at the moment -- and finally stopped at her eyes. Maggie smirked triumphantly as she saw the faint hint of red that filled the agent's cheeks. "You certainly look very bored." A dark eyebrow rose and Alex had to look away from Maggie for a moment, just so she could get her body under control.

She cleared her throat and met Maggie's gaze once more - seemingly with more determination to not dissolve into a puddle in the middle of a crime scene. "Anyway, any idea what happened here?"

Maggie quickly went into business mode as she glanced over her shoulder and then back to Alex. "Eh, looks like a drug deal gone wrong or maybe just a deal gone bad. Three bodies we think, but as you can see," she waved an arm behind her as she spoke. "There is quite the mess here." 

Alex nodded towards the yellow blood on the adjacent building. "I take it one body belongs to a Krill." 

"Yup." Maggie acknowledged the trajectory of the piss-yellow blood. "Pretty sure the Krill's on the roof. We just sent Travers up there." She pointed towards the body she was just crouched next to and said, "And you've got a Theracite there."

Alex peered over. "Don't you need the head to know that?" An eyebrow rose in challenge. 

With her own matching arched brow, Maggie responded immediately, "usually, but they've also got a line of ridged spikes up their spine."

Alex was impressed and proud. "And the third?"

"That's just a hunch because of the amount of blood." She shrugged. "We'll run some tests." She turned towards Alex and batted her lashes. "Or your fancy lab could?"

Alex grinned. "Oh, now you need me. I see how it is, Sawyer." She feigned offense. 

Maggie stepped a little closer to Alex and in a much softer voice replied, “I always need you Danvers. Always." The usually stoic agent had to bite down hard on her lip to keep from letting out a whimper at the detective's words. She was over the moon and back again in love with this woman and it was taking everything she had to not burst into song and skip through the DEO at all hours of the day. The detective had mercy on her and focused her attention on the tech, giving Alex a moment to gather herself. 

"Anything on c.o.d Bridges?" The detective addressed the dark-skinned man to their right. 

The bespectacled CSU tech glanced up at the detective and grimaced. "Going out on a limb and saying loss of blood due to loss of head." He groaned at his own bad joke. 

"Welp, that will make the paper work easier." They shared a head nod and she turned back to Alex. "So, really why the "FBI"?" Maggie used air quotes. "These dudes on your radar?"

"Not the dudes exactly." Alex let her eyes scan the scene once more, not finding what she was looking for. "More like a what."

Maggie was intrigued now. "Do tell?"

"We got a ping on a tracker for some missing crates." She made a show of looking around again. "And those crates are not here."

"You want me to check?" Maggie asked while grabbing her radio from the back pocket of her jeans.

"Not necessary." Alex let her eyes furtively glance at the magnificent swell of the detective's butt. She looked to the sky immediately, not because she was caught looking, but because it was a pleasant reminder of their very pleasant morning where her hands were full of -

"Danvers!" Maggie's voice broke through her reverie. Alex had the good sense to blush and Maggie just tilted her head towards the other woman and grinned. "You were about to say?"

The now composed agent took a breath, "Yes, as I was saying." She put her hands in the pocket of her pants. "We put some trackers on some specific L Corp crates just to see what would happen and it seems someone took the bait."

Maggie's eyes grew wide. "Does Luthor know that you are tracking her crates?" There was surprise in her voice considering the fact that not only had Lena been proven innocent of her mother's Cadmus crimes, but it was also clear that the young CEO was doing everything to stop her mother. She quickly added, "Wait, does Kara know you're tracking Luthor?" This she said almost conspiratorially. The detective didn’t even want to think about the renewed fallout if Kara found out her sister was tracking her friend - again. 

Alex could hear the worry in Maggie's voice. She rolled her eyes. "It's fine Sawyer. Yes, Luthor knows." She grinned at the still skeptical woman. "And Kara knows. In fact, it was Kara's suggestion," she answered smugly.

Maggie's worried face was quickly replaced by a mischievous smile; her dimples on display and tongue peeking out of the corner of her mouth. She looked like a kid who was about to set fire to something just as soon as their parent turned away. "Hmm. And did Kara have any help with that suggestion? Perhaps from the young CEO herself." The detective made no attempt to be subtle.

Alex scoffed. "Oh my God, would you stop with that." Her hands were back on her hips in some attempt to appear authoritative and confident. The determined detective had been stoking this smoldering premise for the last few weeks. Apparently, an office overflowing with flowers is a romantic gesture to the detective. "Yes, it was Luthor's idea and it makes sense. Maybe it's Cadmus, maybe it's not." She was desperate to derail this train.

Unfortunately, Maggie was not quite ready to comply. She stepped into the taller woman's space, reminiscent of their first meeting on the tarmac, and tilted her head. She kept her voice at a near whisper, so no one else would overhear. "Danvers, just give it up. Just give me the money now. You know I'm right."

Alex jutted her chin forward and stood her ground. She was not going to give into Maggie Sawyer. Nope. Not happening. They were in a quiet stand off until the tell-tale whoosh of a cape garnered their attention.

Red boots touched the ground gently as Kara joined both women. "Speak of the devil!" Maggie quipped with a smile. 

Alex bit back her smile and rolled her eyes as she turned towards her sister. "What took you so long?"

"Hey guys." Her bright smile quickly fell as she took in the rather gruesome scene. 

"So, what's up Supes?" Maggie's voice was bright.

Kara grinned at the nickname and Alex wrinkled her brow. "Supes? Really?"

"What?", Maggie began. "She likes it!" 

Kara nodded vigorously. "What's wrong with Supes?" 

Both women pouted and Alex just threw up her hands. "You two are ridiculous,” she said with a grin. “Anyway, where were you?"

"Believe it or not," she started as she placed her hands on her hips, mirroring her sister. "Cat up a tree."

The women laughed. 

"Ooh, classic," Alex said with a warm smile. 

"So what happened here?" The superhero frowned.

Maggie answered first. "Seems someone got away with some L Corp crates and this was the mess they left."

Kara's blue eyes went wide as she looked from Maggie to her sister. "The tagged crates?"

"Yup," Alex answered.

"This was a good idea that two came up with," Maggie added.

Kara avoided Maggie's eyes for a moment. "W-well yeah, I mean really it was Le- Ms. Luthor's idea and I-I just thought it you know, it made sense."

Alex listened to her sister sputter and she pinched the bridge of her nose. Maggie tried to curtail her smile by nibbling on her thumb for no good reason. 

"Then I guess we should probably clue her in, you think." Maggie looked straight at the now fidgety superhero.

Kara shrugged in a sign of discomfort. "Uh, sure, of course. Yes."

"I mean hey, I'm all done here." Maggie clapped her hands together. "What about you Danvers?"

Alex narrowed her eyes at the smirking woman. "Maybe I should be the one to go see Luthor. Besides, I'm sure you've got stuff to clean up here. No need. It's just a courtesy." There was no way she going to let Maggie “I detect” Sawyer go to L Corp without her. 

A thick sculpted dark eyebrow rose in unspoken challenge. "No worries on this end," she said as she looked back towards the now standing CSU tech. "You got this under control Bridges?"

The man adjusted his glasses. "All good, Sawyer. Packing up."

"Give me a sample of that blood pack and I'll send it here with the FBI." Bridges smiled and quickly handed over a labeled and taped brown paper bag to the detective. He snapped a quick photo for chain of command protocol and turned away. Maggie waved the paper bag at the agent, who was staring brown eyed daggers at the shorter woman. "Why don't you let Supes and I swing by L Corp and you can drop this off?" Alex snatched the bag and Maggie knew better than to laugh. She tried a different approach. "We could all go together, if you'd prefer. Yes, let's do that." She turned her eyes towards Alex and gave her soft smile.

Alex let go of a resigned sigh and smiled at the other woman. She handed the paper bag off to a passing agent and then turned her focus to her sister. "Shall we?"

"Sh-shall we?" Kara's voice cracked. "Oh, no, no. That's okay. It's no big deal. Don't you think all three of us would like freak her out?" She drew a big circle. "It's fine. It's fine." Kara went to push up her non-existent glasses and groaned. "You know what, I-I'm just going to go." Before either her sister or sister's girlfriend could say a word, Kara flexed her calves and took off like a bottle rocket red streak, leaving a quietly stunned Alex and a wildly smiling Maggie Sawyer.

Alex pushed a Supergirl-displaced curly lock of auburn hair away from her cheek before daring to turn her eyes towards the detective. She knew what she would see: that shit eating grin, deep dimples, head tilt and pure mirth in her vibrant brown eyes. She fought the smile that was tickling at her lips. She held up a finger. "Don't even say it, Sawyer."

All five-foot two of Maggie Sawyer stepped once more into Alex's space and despite the height difference she seemed to tower over the other woman -- that's how big her ego was at the moment. "What don't you want me to say, Danvers? I'm just curious about the burgeoning friendship between Little Danvers and Ms. Luthor. No big whoop." The amount of innuendo caressing the words burgeoning and friendship left no wiggle room as to what Maggie thought and what Alex was avoiding. 

She huffed and rolled her eyes. Maggie was not going to let this one go and they both knew it; she was going to lose this bet. "I'm sure Ms. Luthor appreciates Kara's support and friendship." Alex had wanted to steer the conversation in a different direction, but she knew immediately that her word choice had just planted new seeds for the detective to cultivate. 

Maggie did not fight the little chuckle she emitted. Her shoulders shook with laughter. "Oh yeah, I'm sure there's lots of support."

Alex could only whine her displeasure. She really wanted to kiss that stupid sexy beautiful grin off the shorter woman's face. "I. Hate. You." She over enunciated each word, which only drew attention to the fact that anger was the last thing on her mind. 

"Is that right?" Maggie licked her lips slowly and moved her gaze from Alex's lips and back up to her eyes. She stepped to the side and rose on her toes, so she could be closer to the taller woman's ear. "That's not what you said last night. In fact, that's not what you said this morning either." She felt more than saw the agent shiver at the feel of her breath against her ear and with that she stepped back.

With a quick reflex, Alex's arm shot out and she grabbed Maggie by the lapel of her jacket and pulled her nearly flush to her body. The agent captured her own bottom lip between her teeth for second as she seemed to contemplate what to do. After all, they were outside in an alley amidst a smattering of NCPD officers and DEO agents -- this was work. They engaged in a momentary stare-off, as each woman no doubt flash-backed to the late evening and early morning passions that sent them each to their respective places of business more than a few minutes late. 

Sawyer kept her hands in her pockets, knowing that if she did what she wanted, which was to grip Alex's waist, they would both get themselves into a whole lot of trouble. Granted some of that trouble would just be the non-stop teasing from colleagues, but somehow making out with her painfully gorgeous girlfriend in the middle of a crime scene seemed a bit over-the-top, if not just plain rude. Instead, she resigned herself to a long languid look. She swept mahogany eyes across the agent's collarbones and up the smooth column of her neck. She let her eyes linger briefly on a spot hidden by the silk blouse - a spot where she knew a pink-purple bruise had been left there courtesy of her teeth and tongue. They both knew there was a matching one on the inside of the agent's right thigh. 

The detective met Alex's brown eyes and she saw the same lusty memory emblazoned in her stare. Memory of the taller woman coming apart under her hands and mouth the night before was a sight and sound that Maggie was determined to never tire of. Likewise, she was still in disbelief at how willing she was to let the younger woman take control at times and how she found herself easily submitting to whatever the agent wanted. Even if that meant letting the lithe and deceptively strong woman fuck her senseless from behind up against the cool wet tile of the shower, knowing damn well they were going to be late to work for the second time this week. 

It was the detective who came to her senses first, having recently just gotten done with her mini-official-not-official- suspension. She was not quite ready to be reprimanded again. "Um, Danvers, we are at work you know."

The word "work" hit her ears and Alex grinned. "You've got a point." She gently released the soft leather of the detective's jacket and stepped back. "We are going to finish this conversation later though."

Maggie bounced on her toes with excitement. "Of course we are." She clapped her hands together and then rubbed them together, clearly formulating a plan. "So, you think I should head over to L Corp?" The detective sounded almost giddy. The joker-like grin completed the picture. 

Alex laughed out loud. "No way, Sawyer." She gripped Maggie by the shoulders and turned her towards the exit of the alley. "You are not going mischief-making without me." 

Maggie held her arms out to the side in a "what me?" gesture. "Danvers! C'mon, give a girl some credit."

Alex rolled her eyes as they headed towards the parked Suburban. "I am giving you credit. I'm giving you all the credit. And I know you," she said as she bumped the shorter woman's shoulder as they stopped in front of the SUV. "You," she stopped and pointed at her. She continued, "are full of mischief; little trouble maker." 

Maggie hit her with her most disarming yet precocious smile and winked. "And I love it when you make trouble with me," she quipped as she opened the back-passenger door for Alex. 

The agent let go of a happy sigh and winked back before stepping into the back seat. 

Maggie gripped the door and made her way inside. She closed the door just as the agent driving got behind the wheel. Maggie smirked at Alex before asking aloud, "this thing has a partition, right?" 

The blood rushed to Alex's face just as the black truck pulled off. 

 

_Fade out... (this might have another part just for the sake of closure I think.)_


	5. A Day in the Life (Part II)...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A direct continuation of chapter IV, wherein Maggie, Alex, and Supergirl pay a visit to Lena Luthor. I wonder who gets to L Corp first?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, isn't this interesting...how did Supercorp get in here! Not sure I have a grasp on their dynamic but it seemed like a fitting bookend to the previous chapter. Go easy on me.

**Part II.**

Kara Danvers adjusted her glasses and smoothed down an imaginary wrinkle in her skirt as she stepped off the elevator. She wore her blond hair in a half-up, half-down twist, with her shoulder length hair spilling down her back. She gripped her satchel and waved at Jess as she entered the foyer of Lena's office. 

"Hi Jess!"

Jess, Lena's secretary, couldn't help the smile that Ms. Danvers' presence coaxed out of her. "Hi there, Ms. Danvers! She's clear for about the next thirty minutes." The secretary managed to not wink at the younger woman. For her part, Kara was oblivious to whatever match-making Jess thought she was doing as she returned her smile and eased into Lena's office. Jess just shook her head and then promptly called Lena's 3:30 appointment and moved him to 4:45. Just in case, she thought to herself. 

Kara just stood in the doorway for a moment as she let it softly close behind her and watched the sable-haired CEO at her desk. Long fingers held tight to a spread sheet in her left hand and a silver pen in her right hand, as she looked between the paper and the small projected screen to her right. She was on a phone call. And from the sound, the other end of the phone call was happening in France. 

Kara just beamed as the language flowed easily from Lena's lips and for not the first time, she wondered what it would be like to hear Lena speak Kryptonian. Kara shook the thought from her head and dropped her bag on the couch before heading to the bar and pouring two waters. 

She gently placed a high-ball glass full of water in front of the CEO and Lena grinned, finally acknowledging her presence. "Give me two minutes," she mouthed before turning her attention back to the screen. The CEO and Marcel were disagreeing on the science.

Kara just smirked and took a seat. She felt a little sorry for Marcel because she knew that Lena knew her science, because after all, Kara knew her science. That was one of the many things that the two women had shared and bonded over as their relationship had grown and morphed. With Lena she didn't have to hide what she knew. In fact, with Lena there wasn't anything she had to hide anymore.

She was so stuck in her head that she startled when Lena called her name. 

Bright blue eyes looked up, and if Kara wasn't sitting she would have fallen down. So lost in her thoughts she hadn't registered that Lena had not only ended her phone call, but also, she had moved around to the front of her desk - where she was now leaning back against the modernist-inspired shaped desk, legs crossed at the ankles and sipping her water. 

"Hey there," Kara said sheepishly.

"Well, hello there to you too." Lips painted red spread into a smile. She pinned Kara to the couch with her eyes and winked. "To what do I owe the pleasure? I thought we were on for dinner."

Kara stood and brushed imaginary lint from her periwinkle cardigan before walking towards Lena. "W-we still are. I just needed to stop by."

Lena placed her water on the table and braced her arms back against the table. She loved when she flustered Kara Danvers. "So," she began. She ran a hand through her long locks, gathering her hair so that it rested over her right shoulder. "How was your day?"

Kara barely trusted herself to move, lest she trip and fall. Lena was like a tractor beam and it was pointless to fight. "The usual," she said with building confidence. "Edited a blog and finished that piece for The National." She took a few steps closer to Lena until they were within arm's reach. Kara looked to the sky and shrugged before adding, "and then I saved a cat up a tree."

"Ooh! That sounds exhilarating," Lena's honeyed voice dripped with playful sarcasm, but it wasn't meant to be mean. She was always happy to hear about her Supergirl escapades, especially when they didn’t involve rampaging Meta-humans and kryptonite missiles. 

Kara blushed a bit and finally found herself standing in front of the CEO. "Well, it was certainly gratifying." Kara was sincere and Lena smiled. 

Lena reached out and grabbed Kara's hand and pulled her close. "Oh yeah?" she prompted.

Kara nodded as she let herself be pulled into the other woman. If she was honest, she had been craving this connection all day. And while in the past it would have been her sister (and now Maggie), she was elated that she could share all of herself with the woman in her arms. Kara was all smiles as she replied, “she's eight and her name is Terry. And poor Mr. Pickles was stuck up a tree." 

Lena looped her arms around Kara's neck as the woman encircled her waist with her arms. "Oh no! Not Mr. Pickles!" They shared a laugh. "Was he okay?" Lena asked as Kara pulled her into a full a body hug. Lena Luthor found herself nuzzling into Kara's shoulder, as the blond held her tight. The normally reticent woman had decided that after the first time they had hugged so many weeks ago that she was going to try to make this happen for as long as she could. Every day, if she had her way. Kara finally pulled back with a nod. They shared matching wistful smiles. "Well, I am certainly proud that you made that girl's day."

Kara's smile was blinding. "I'd like to think so." She was being sincere and it made Lena swoon.

"So, now that you've made Terry's day," she plucked Kara's glasses from her face while speaking. "You want to make my day?" She dropped the lead-lined glasses on the table behind her. 

Kara's pupils dilated in answer before she leaned in and met the willing, pliable, and plump lips of Lena Luthor. Kissing Lena was like breaking the sound barrier and exiting the stratosphere. Kara was a floaty mess as Lena's tongue invaded her mouth, and she gave as good as she got. It was Lena's squeak that made her realize that she was floating again. Kara reluctantly broke the kiss and looked chagrined as they nearly touched the ceiling. She eased them to the ground and still held Lena loosely in her arms. "Sorry," she said quietly, slightly embarrassed at her inability to control her powers around this woman sometimes. 

Lena caught her breath and then kissed Kara's cheek. "Don't apologize ever for that, it's okay."

"I mean, I know you aren't a fan of flying." She looked down and was immediately met with Lena's ample bosom. She quickly looked up and met Lena's green gaze.

"I never said I wasn't a fan of flying with you." She pressed a soft kiss to Kara's lips already smudged with her lipstick. "Besides, the only way to get over a fear is to face it, right?"

"And that's why you are absolutely amazing." Kara kissed her nose making Lena giggle like a school girl.

The CEO sobered for a moment as she ran her fingers across the blonde’s brows, down her cheek, and across her lips. "I will never understand how you can see me the way do."

Kara stood up a bit, affecting her Supergirl posture, and she met Lena's eyes. "I'm only telling the truth Lena." Lena glanced down, avoiding Kara's intense scrutiny but Kara touched a fingertip to her chin and refocused her attention. "Hey," Kara's voice was soft as green eyes met blue. "Lena Luthor, you are amazing, you are brilliant, so brilliant, and you are so very good." Lena tried to look away, but Kara's fingertip stopped her. "No, don't look away. It's true." Lena held her eyes again and Kara wrapped her arms once more around Lena's waist, pulling her flush against her. "What l like about you is how you fight for what you believe in. And I know I don't always agree with you on everything, or how to go about it, but never doubt what you're trying to do. I certainly don't."

If Lena Luthor was a crier, she knew she would be in tears. But she wasn't a crier. Yes, it was too early and too soon, but she knew she was in love with Kara Zor-El Danvers. How could she not be? Sure, this might all end horribly if her mother had any say in it, but for right now, Lena was almost willing to believe that they could make this work and that she could actually be happy. Happy with a Super. She didn't cry at Kara's words, but she did surge forward and kiss Kara with all the strength she had. 

Kara squeaked in surprise, but then quickly reciprocated Lena's forceful kiss. This part of their relationship was only two weeks old, but they fell against each other as if they had been doing this for decades. They were still working out some of the kinks in this new physical side; namely Kara's intense fear that she was going to break Lena. The CEO assured her that she was working on a plan that might alleviate Kara's fears. Until then, Kara was gentle and tentative with her, however, that didn't mean Lena was gentle or tentative with her and Kara didn't mind at all. 

Lena buried her fingers in Kara's hair as she continued to kiss her. Kara sucked on her tongue and Lena did not try to tamp down the heady moan that arose in her throat. Spurred on by her excitement and with barely a grip on the CEO's thigh, Kara lifted and deposited Lena onto her desk, so that she now stood firmly between her legs. Kara tore her lips away from Lena, only to attach to the other woman's unblemished alabaster throat. She was careful not to kiss or lick too hard, lest she leave a bruise that was not going to be covered up by her low cut blouse. 

"K-Kara," Lena managed to get out between a gasp. "Not on the desk. Remember last time."

Kara pulled back and the two women shared a laugh. The last time they found themselves in this position, Lena found herself tracking down the Swedish artist who made the first one to get him to craft another one. While Lena loved the sleek lines and how it matched her decor, the desk was not built for the sexual escapades of one Lena Luthor and the Girl of Steel. 

With a light grip under her thighs, Kara lifted and Lena wrapped her legs around the other woman's waist. Kara backed towards the couch never once breaking the kiss with Lena. Once the back of her legs bumped against the couch, she eased down onto the cushion with Lena astride her lap. Lena's kisses were practically frantic as Kara's strong fingers traveled up newly exposed thighs and then up her sides and down her back. 

Lena finally came up for air with a gasp. Kara chased after her lips, but an index finger against her forehead stopped her pursuit. "Hold on there, I need to catch my breath." 

Kara blushed and just hugged Lena to her, while pressing soft kisses to her throat which caused the CEO to giggle. "Sorry, it's just hard to stop kissing you once I start." Kara pressed a soft kiss to a sensitive spot right behind Lena's left ear and the woman shivered. 

Lena leaned back so she could look the other woman in the eye. She used her thumb to caress Kara's cheek. "No apology necessary. Besides, if I had your lung capacity I wouldn't stop kissing you either." She touched her forehead to Kara's. "Perhaps I should tell Jess to move back my 3:30." Kara answered with a nip to her lips causing both women to smile. She grabbed Lena by the back of her neck and pulled her down. Kara could hear Lena's heartbeat, her lashes flutter, and of course the soft mewl she let go of as Kara's lips finally pressed against hers, and not to mention the sound of her sister's voice as she rode up the elevator. 

Lena let out a yelp as Kara stood up abruptly, depositing her on the couch with a bounce. "Jesus, Kara! What's wrong?"

“My sister!" Kara looked for her bag.

"Ok. Your sister,” she said calmly, once her heartbeat returned to normal. She watched the pacing woman. “Is she okay?"

Kara finally stopped pacing and faced the flushed features of the now standing woman. "L-Lena I'm sorry about before, I just - oh, Rao, oh Rao, my sister."

Lena moved towards Kara and gripped the woman's shoulders. "Kara, tell me what's wrong? Let me help." Her growing concern was evident. 

"I was supposed to talk to you and now, and now -," Kara took a breath as she heard Alex and Maggie enter the foyer. "And now she's here."

Green eyes grew wide. "Oh." Both women turned towards the sound of Jess's voice. 

"Agent Danvers! Detective Sawyer!" The secretary's voice was way too loud, probably startling the two women standing at her desk. 

"Kara, you should go." She grabbed the satchel she had come with and handed it to the wide-eyed woman before practically shoving her out on the balcony. "And wipe your mouth."

Kara smiled and took off straight up. Lena didn't give herself a moment to watch. She straightened her skirt and blouse before she touched up her make-up and hair. She could hear Jess stalling the two women with a conversation about dairy substitutes. Lena grinned and picked up phone and pressed a button. "Please, send them in Jess."

The large wood and brass doors of Lena's office opened as the two women entered. Lena sat down in her high-backed leather chair and watched the two women as they neared her desk. Lena arched an inquisitive eyebrow at them both. She had to admit they made quite a pair, as they swaggered into her office: the compact detective in her fitted jeans and brown leather jacket, complimenting the lithe agent in her tailored charcoal suit. 

"Ladies, whatever brings you by?" Her tone was polite and curious. 

"Thanks for squeezing us in Ms. Luthor." Maggie spoke and Alex nodded her hello. "Caught a case today and thought you might want to know."

Alex glanced around the large office. "Did you happen to have a visitor earlier?"

Lena's heartbeat picked up, but she kept her voice even and nonplussed. "What's this about agent?" She arched an eyebrow and then stood up before walking out from behind her desk.

"Supergirl actually."

Lena stopped and leaned against her desk. She hoped she had been smooth enough that neither woman caught her misstep at the name. "Is everything alright?"

"Just thought she might be here, perhaps something kept her." Alex frowned a bit and Maggie shrugged a shoulder. 

"Probably nothing." 

As if on cue, everyone's attention was drawn to the balcony. Red boots touched down a little heavier than normal. Maggie did not hide her eyeroll at Kara's dramatics. "Speak of the devil," she mumbled.

All three women smiled as the superhero finally crossed the threshold. "Agent Danvers. Detective Sawyer. Ms. Luthor." She nodded at each woman in turn. "Looks like you got here before me."

The hackles on the back of Maggie's neck were standing on end. There was a lie here and she couldn't put her finger on it...yet. "So, what kept you, Supes?" Maggie probed.

Before the superhero could answer, Lena and Alex both retorted almost in practiced unison: "Cat up a tree?"

The room went silent and Maggie was sure no one was breathing. Kara's blue eyes were as wide as beach balls and Alex brows were drawn together in confusion. Lena, for her part was giving a master class in not flinching, although she was fixated on a spot on the far wall. 

Kara broke the quick silence with a guffaw. "Wow! That’s funny! Jinx!" She winked and punched her sister just a tad too hard in the arm. 

"Maybe we should get you two on the stage together," Maggie added as she watched Alex pass her steely gaze between both Kara and Lena. "Hey, who wants water?"

"Yes!" Lena responded quickly. She moved quickly to pass by the detective and knocked against the desk sending some papers and pens clattering to the floor. Maggie, who was closest, crouched down with Lena and grabbed papers. Both women reached out for some loose papers and then stopped as they saw the same thing: Kara's glasses. 

Dark brown eyes met green as the detective quickly processed the obvious - she had been right about Kara and Lena. Lena creased her brow in a rare show of worry. Maggie winked and Lena visibly relaxed. 

"You two need help?" Alex asked. 

"Just some papers." Maggie replied. 

"Got it!" Lena's voice overlapped Maggie's. 

Maggie gripped the glasses first, briefly made eye contact with Lena and then pocketed the glasses in her jacket. "All good Ms. Luthor." Maggie stood first and offered a hand to Lena.

Lena allowed herself to be helped up. "Thank you, Detective Sawyer." She nodded and hoped she had telegraphed how much she really meant that thank you. The CEO took a cleansing breath, smoothed out her skirt and accepted the offered glass of water from Supergirl. "So, ladies, would anyone like to tell me what's going on?" Lena took a seat at her desk and felt herself regain her footing. 

"The crates," Alex said by way of answer.

"The crates?" Lena started. "Oh! The crates! Someone took the bait?"

"Indeed they did," Supergirl answered. "We are tracking them now. They seemed to be headed in two different directions."

"Hmm. It's not my mother, is it?" She was nearly afraid to ask.

"You have nothing to worry about Ms. Luthor." The confident voice of Supergirl filled the room. Lena looked up and met the superhero's eyes. Sure, she was standing there in her form fitting suit with her superhero pose perfected, but those were Kara's eyes looking back at her. 

The CEO quickly glanced away and let her eyes alight on the detective. Detective Sawyer was guzzling her water perhaps in an attempt to make it not seem as if she had just been intently watching the two women. Lena quickly realized that she and the detective were going to have to have an interesting conversation sooner rather than later. 

"Well, I do believe that with a DEO agent, NCPD's finest, and one of the most powerful beings on the planet, I think we'll figure this out." The CEO smiled brightly and then gestured towards the chairs in front of her. "How about you ladies take a seat and we figure out our next move."

 

_Fade out..._


	6. Tugboats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a snippet of an idea. Set after the end of the season. J'onn is kidnapped by Cadmus, Supergirl is sidelined, and Alex is on the edge. Can Maggie get through to Alex? Does she even want to?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *So the lyrics to Beyonce's "All Night Long" have been stuck in my head all day long and there's just something about those verses (not the chorus) that screams out Sanvers. This is really just an excuse for some Maggie backstory.  
> ** All mistakes are mind and I blame Google translator. That's my story and sticking to it.

__

_“Seen your scars and kissed your crime_  
Our love was stronger than your pride  
Beyond your darkness, I'm your light.”

The Daxamite invasion came in early May before giving way to a solemn June clean-up, which then led to a sometimes sober, but surprisingly carefree July. Summer had finally settled into National City, just as the city cleaned up from the welcome and highly charged Independence day festivities. With scars still visible on the city streets and buildings from the Daxamite invasion, National City (and the rest of the country for that matter) felt a firmer pull on what it meant to be free and independent. And while on the one hand, there was a great swell of camaraderie and patriotism among all of National City's denizens, there was also backlash. Cadmus had an uptick in recruits and Lillian Luthor had managed to spin her penchant for xenophobia into a platform. Election season was definitely going to be fun. But for now, while the Summer sun hung high in the sky and spirits were lifted, most people’s thoughts were on cookouts and time at the beach. 

In those first few week after the incident with Malverne, Alex Danvers wasn't sure how she was going to manage a shower let alon3 actually tackling the vastness of the Pacific. The process had been slower than she preferred, but with Maggie's patience and Kara's concern, Alex finally made it to the beach. For now, the surfboard stayed home, as wet toes were all she was ready for at this point which suited everyone just fine.

From her spot in the sand, Kara watched with a smile as her sister and Maggie raced each other up the shoreline. Alex's laughter rang out once she caught hold of Maggie's hips and they collapsed near the dunes. Still smiling to herself, Kara looked away to give them some privacy. The phone next to her thigh on the blanket buzzed and she glanced down at the screen. A wide smile brightened her face at the familiar name. She picked up on the second sound. 

“Hey you!”

“Hey yourself. How’s the beach?”

“Gorgeous! You should be here. I-I mean if you could be.”

The CEO let out a soft sigh and spun in her chair to face the windows. “Ugh, me too. But when this deal is done I can take a week off.”

“Ooh, a whole week. Sounds exciting. What are you going to do with all that time off?” she teased. 

Lena twirled a lock of dark hair around her finger. “I hear Switzerland is great this time of year.”

Kara pushed up her slipping glasses. “Oh you hear.”

“I haven’t been everywhere thank you very much.” She chuckled.

“And neither have I.”

“But you can go anywhere, Kara.” There was a soft sigh in her voice. 

Kara shrugged and dug her toes in the sand. “It’s not the same.”

“Then it’s settled.” Lena spun in her chair and pulled up her calendar.

“It is?”

“Yes, my dear, it is.” Lena smiled. “You’re coming with me.” Kara squeaked in answer. “Is that a yes?”

“W-well yeah, of course. Yes!”

Lena laughed and Kara joined her. “Do you need to ask for time off?”

“I’ll call J’onn right now.”

Lena could hear Kara’s genuine excitement. They were taking things slow, whatever this was - this thing that neither of them could avoid. And considering Kara had been willing to sacrifice herself to keep Rhea from taking Lena to Daxam, it was obvious to everyone including a resigned Mon-el that whatever it was--they needed to figure it out. 

“Sounds good, I’ve got to go.”

“Lena, w-will I see you tonight.” She was still all nerves around the other woman sometimes. 

“I’d like that.” Lena didn’t need to see the other woman to know that a blush was tinting her cheeks. “Bye.”

Kara smiled into the dial tone and was still smiling dreamily when she felt the pelt of sand on her shins. 

“What’s got you all smiley?” Alex asked as she plopped down on the towel next to her sister.

“Don’t you mean, who?” Maggie wiggled her eyebrows from behind dark glasses.

Kara’s retort died on her lips as all three phones rang.

An explosion had torn through a refugee center and Cadmus was claiming responsibility. Maggie headed to NCPD and the Danvers sisters headed to the DEO to prepare for a raid.  


So much for Summer.  


* * *

It was 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday when the raid turned into an ambush. Agents are scattered but fighting, while Martian Manhunter and Supergirl are on opposite ends dodging ground to air missiles. 

Winn’s voice crackles through the comms. “The missiles are hot! Get Kara out!”

It’s 8:15 when a red a blue streak barrels into the earth. 

Maggie and James are 5 miles away and they can both see the plume of green smoke. The detective looks at the armored man. “There’s nothing left here but clean up. Go.” James just nods and speeds off on his bike. 

It’s 9:00 p.m. by the time Alex drags her battered, but mostly alive squadron back to the DEO. Kara’s on a stretcher headed for the Medbay and the only silver lining is that there are more Cadmus agents dead than DEO. 

The debrief is quick and angry. Alex is looking for J’onn and texting Maggie an “in one piece” text when the monitors dim and the grainy video plays: It’s J’onn. Bloodied and on his knees, hands tied behind his back, breathing labored. Cyborg Superman to his left holding a glowing blade to his neck.

It’s Lillian Luthor’s voice that punchese through the speakers. “I’ll make this simple. I’ll give you 72 hours to turn over your database and/or start shepherding them to detention centers. I’ll make an example out of him if you don’t. And then we’ll do this dance all over again, perhaps with someone else who matters more.”

“Stick to your mission, agent.” J’onn growls out before the screen goes dark. 

Alex Danvers simply clenches her jaw and takes a deep breath. She doesn’t yell. Her voice is steel and smoldering rage. “Agents, the director is all that matters. Cadmus gave us 72 hours,” she locks eyes with Winn, Vasquez, and Logan. “I want him back in 48.” The command center bursts into life as she walks towards the Medbay to check on Kara.  


* * *

Between Kara, who’s still down with Kryptonite poisoning, a still missing J’onn, and a City on edge, agent Alex Danvers is stretched beyond her means. She’s running on snippets of forced sleep and that was only because James and Maggie trapped her in the training room and bolted the door. 

It’s 24 hours in when Lucy Lane flies in to take the reins from Alex. They don’t have time for too many pleasantries and the smaller woman is fine with that at the moment. Alex Danvers is in pure soldier mode and Lucy knows that focused look. Besides, whatever she needs to know she’ll just get from Vasquez anyway. Lucy’s first order is to lock down the unit and keep the access tight. The last thing they need is Lillian Luthor testing their security.

They are all 36 hours in when the first break happens. Alex and her team have returned from a warehouse raid with weapons and one conscious Cadmus agent. 

On the other side of the city in an alley behind the bowling alley, the detective finds a lead the old-fashioned way. Detective Maggie Sawyer could talk a jumper off a bridge, a teenager out of a stolen car, and a still shell-shocked Xylonite into giving her information.

It’s been 16 hours since she last laid eyes on her girlfriend and two hours since her phone buzzed with: Be safe. Love you. She’s all lights and sirens as she navigates the Dodge Charger through the city streets in record time. If this lead holds up, then the quicker all of this can come to an end.

She’s ten minutes behind James as she makes her way to the DEO. A longer than normal search and two phone calls later she’s stalking into the command center since apparently “the director needed to double check.” She and Alex were going to have to have a long discussion. Her eyes fall on James as she nears the center of the room where a high round console stands. 

"What the hell?" She eyes James and he sort of shrugs. "Where's Alex? I've got a lead." Her eyes pass quickly over Vasquez, Winn, and the unfamiliar face of a woman standing in J’onn’s normal spot. 

Winn just spins away towards his desk, desperate not to look the detective in the eye.

James shrugs because he only just beat her here. 

Maggie senses that everyone knows something she doesn't. On a hunch, she heads to the Medbay to where a slightly groggy Kara is waking up from a much needed nap. It’ll still be at least another day before she’s back up to speed. 

"Hey, little Danvers. Looking a little less green. I’ll be sure to share the news with Lena." She winks.

Kara groans and sticks out her tongue. "Ha Ha. Funny."

"Where's your sister? I've got info on J'onn.” Kara attempts to sit up. "Whoa there, tiger. Just settle ‘til we can figure it out."

Kara nods. She really is exhausted. "Ask Lucy. She's running stuff for the moment."

Maggie furrows her brow and then remembers the petite brunette. If Lane was running operations then where the hell was Alex." She feels a knot grow in her stomach.

Maggie bolts back into the command center and makes a beeline for the woman dressed in camo pants and the standard issue DEO black polo. 

"Lane! Where is Agent Danvers?", she barks out question.

Lucy turns on her heels with arms crossed and gives the other woman the once over. "And you must be Detective Sawyer." Her tone is smug. 

They meet eyes and Maggie gets the sudden desire to elbow this chick in the throat. Maggie meets her in the middle of the command table and for a breath they look like two fighters waiting for the bell to sound.

Maggie pushes back her leather jacket as she puts her hands on her hips and juts her chin at the woman across from her. Maggie's height advantage is barely a whisper, but she seriously begins to calculate the distance between her fist and the smirking agent's face. 

"So now that intros are out of the way, tell me where Alex is. I have information for her."

Lucy doesn't hide her eye roll. "You can just give it me, that’s the protocol."

Maggie scoffs. "Lady, I don't know you." She sucks her tooth.

"All you need to know detective," she snarls, "is I'm in change.”

Maggie snorts derisively. "This is bullshit." She side steps the other woman and heads to Winn. "Schott, where's Alex? We don't have time for this."

Winn starts to fidget as his eyes dart from screens, to Maggie, to a now seething Lane. 

"Keep your mouth shut Schott. She doesn't have clearance."

Maggie whips around so fast that Winn reflexively pushes himself out of the way half expecting there to be a gust of wind. 

"Fuck you Lane and your clearance." She moves to step into Lucy's space when suddenly there is an armored arm between them. It's James.

James turns his eyes on Lucy because he knows what the other woman is doing. She’s sizing Maggie up. Poking and prodding for weakness and trying to figure out exactly what’s got Alex Danvers taking long lunches, weekends off and Thursday morning knife practice. "Lucy, c'mon we are wasting time and Sawyer can help."

Lucy narrows her eyes like she wants to say something and James can feel a coiled Maggie behind him ready to burst. "She's indisposed at the moment," Lucy finally gets out. "Interrogation."

Maggie's eyes go wide. She knows how mad Alex is and she knows the DEO has little to no boundaries. She'd deal with Lane later. "Why in the hell would you let her in there?"

Lucy raises her eyebrow in surprise. "She's my best agent, why wouldn't I? And who are you to-

Maggie cuts her off with a wave of her hand. "Christ, what is it with you people! She's going to kill him!"

Lucy shrugs. Nonplussed. "And?"

James feels Maggie before she moves and he gently grips her by the shoulder and maneuvers her away from Lucy. 

James’ redirection keeps her focused and she pushes Winn's chair out of her way so she can see the screens. It takes all of 10 seconds, but there on the 3rd row to the left she finds her. Well, she sees the chair hurtled across the screen and a bloodied man duck. 

"Fuck! Winn, floor?"

Winn doesn't hesitate to answer. “G3 cells to the left."

Maggie is off and bursting through the stairwell. Lane's voice is calling behind her as she leaps the steps and quickly gets to level G3.

She beats everyone to the cell and bangs on the glass case. There’s blood spatter on the wall and the two chairs are toppled over. The small metal trashcan has a large dent in the side. 

Alex is fury personified. From outside the cell, Maggie watches her wild-eyed Alex slam the cuffed man on the metal table and send an elbow to his sternum before kicking the table and sending the table and him to the ground. 

Maggie is pounding the door and realizing she needs a code.

"Detective Sawyer, you need to stand down!" Lucy followed by Vasquez, James, and Winn come barreling down the stairs. 

She turns on the other woman. "And you don't get to tell me anything!" She bumps her shoulder into Lucy as she moves towards the security console. Vasquez blocks her.  
Maggie practically laughs, surprised by Vasquez's actions. She can see the conflict in her eyes. "Vasquez I don't give a shit if you are fucking her, I'm getting Alex out of there." Vasquez quickly steps back.

She swiftly moves to the console and snatches the mic on the table. 

"Danvers!" she screams into the mic. Alex is dragging the guy around by a mangled ankle into a clear space. She drops his leg just to step on it. They can all hear the guy scream out through the intercom. "Damn it! Danvers! You need to stop! Alex! Please! Alex! Just stop." Maybe it was the please. Maybe it was the sound of her first name. Maybe it was the crack in Maggie's voice, but Alex does indeed stand up and step back. 

Maggie takes a breath and acknowledges Winn next to her. "Winn get that door open." 

He nods as he moves to the keyboard and starts a hack. "On it."

Maggie keeps her eyes on Alex. Her chest is heaving, sweaty tendrils of hair clinging to her face, lips bruised and bloody from the raid. Fists clenched. Maggie knows she needs to get in there. Alex is just taking a breather, but she's going to go back and she only has one goal: pain.

Maggie grips the intercom mic. "Alex, babe, you gotta’ listen to me, okay." Alex just flexes her hand. "Alex, I need you to let me in there with you, just let me in okay."

The sound is scratchy at first and her voice is almost unrecognizable as it courses with rage. "I need to do this Sawyer, you can't help."

Calmly she replies, "you won't know until you let me in there. Or just come out here with me."

Alex shakes her head. She's taking a deep breath. She's about to move.

"Damn it Alex, don't do this not like this." She tosses the mic as Alex drags the man from the floor and pins him against the concrete wall with her elbow in his throat.  
"Winn!" Maggie pleads. 

"Almost. Almost. Buy me some time."

Maggie can see Lane and James to her left. James is near as frantic as she is and Lucy is just watching Alex, unbothered by the fact that her friend is going to kill a man right in front of them. 

Maggie takes a deep breath and grips the mic again. 

"Alex, I get it, I get it. But not like this, J'onn didn't teach you this."

"You're wrong Maggie. He did." Alex let's her elbow ease back for a moment and the man sputters and gasps. "Tell me where he is you piece of shit! I can do this all night."

"That's bullshit Alex. He taught you how to be a soldier, not a monster. This is not how we get him back. Not like this."

"They are torturing him Maggie.” She presses her elbow into the squirming man’s throat once more. “They are killing him! I can't - I can't -" She trails off and presses her elbow back into the man's throat. He's turning colors.

Maggie slams a fist into the console. She's tries a different tactic. She can do this. "Alex, I understand. I know what you're feeling. I know, I know. Just let me help."

"How can you know!?" Alex is near tears now. She's fighting herself. "How!", she growls out. "I can't lose him." Her voice is fraught with desperation.  
Maggie feels like she's been kicked in the gut but she knows Alex is frightened and angry. "You think I don't know what it's like to lose a father, Alex?" Her strained voice echoes in the room. 

The words slap Alex in the face. She steps back quickly and the man slumps to the ground. He's choking in air as the air inflates his lungs once more. 

Maggie keeps going. She can see that Winn's found two numbers on the keypad. He needs four more. She needs more time.

"Believe me Alex, I know what it’s like to lose the man you worship. My dad wasn't some superhero or some top-secret agent. He was just blue collar boy from Pittsburgh. He loved getting his hands dirty, fixing his truck, and teaching his baby girl the difference between cover-2 and cover-4 and how to throw a punch. He's the guy who taught me how to a make a red sauce so good that it'll make the pasta sing." Alex hung her head and just breathed. She unclenched her fists and her breathing seemed less labored, so Maggie kept going. "He's the guy who taught me how to curse in Italian and Portuguese because he said it was good to confuse the old guys on the Bocce court. It also annoyed my mom.” She let out a huff of a laugh and then kept going, as Alex had yet to move. “He taught me how to shoot, fish, grow perfect tomatoes and that Franco Harris was a god among men. And I worshiped the ground he walked on. So, yeah, Alex I know."

Alex still hasn't moved, but she tilts her head towards the intercom. Towards the sound of Maggie’s voice. "But you hate the Steelers." Her voice is raspy and quivering.

Maggie nearly wanted to cry with relief. "I do, yeah. Mostly out of spite, but I'll fight somebody over Franco." She let go of the mic and kept talking. "I know what J'onn means to you. Hell, I know what he means to me and we will get him back. I promise."

"Maggie if he dies-" she whips her head up and dark brown eyes are back on the groaning man on the floor.

The door beeps signaling that it's unlocked. Maggie glances at the numbers and the corner of her mouth twitches in a ghost of smirk. 060887. Alex had reset the code to her birthday. Maggie moves towards the door and just stands still in the doorway as the lock releases and the doors slide apart. 

"I know how much you want him back. I know how much you need him back." She lets Alex get used to the sound of her voice - still afraid the woman was going to pounce on the man. She keeps the small group of people behind her at bay with a quick hand up. She needs to do this. "You know what's funny, even after everything with my dad, sometimes I still wish he was still around to just tell me I'm okay." Her voice trembles and Alex's eyes move away from the prone man on the floor. "You know the first time somebody spit on me, it was my father. After he hit me, I just stayed on the ground for a few minutes and he spit on me, threw my jacket at me, and called me a piece of trash. He said, ‘get the fuck outta my house and away from children.’” Maggie mimicked his gruff voice. It was a sound she would never forget. “When he was angry he spoke Italian, as if it hurt in less in a different tongue. He said, ‘Tu sei niente per me. Vai fuori da casa mia!' And then he spit on me." Maggie’s voice is flat and void of emotion.

Alex's head finally eases up and her eyes find Maggie's dark brown eyes. There were no tears there, but her chin wobbled and she knew the other woman was gnawing on the inside of her bottom lip in an effort not to break. "And if he was still around and he could pick up the phone or show up on my door step and say, hey I'm sorry, I love you. I'm proud of you. Truth is, I'd probably still fall into his arms and hold on for dear life. So, yeah, Alex I know and I get it and I want J'onn back too." She holds out her hand. "But let me do this with you. Please."

She sees that vein pulse on Alex's forehead and her lip trembles. Alex reaches out and accepts the smaller woman's hand. Two things happen at once. Maggie gently grips the agent's bloodied knuckles and moves her towards the other side of the cell as a med team bursts in and grabs the semi-conscious man on the floor and starts putting him on a stretcher. Maggie presses a metal square on the concrete wall and a solid bench eases out from the wall. Alex allows herself to be guided to the bench. The smaller woman stands between her knees and Alex's arms are quickly around her small waist and holding her tight. The agent’s body shudders with a quiet sob. Maggie is burying her fingers in Alex's hair and massaging her scalp. Soothing her with fingers, and soft words, and kisses to her temple. "I've got you, love." The words are close to Alex's ear and Alex nods against her chest. "Can I see your hands, babe?" Alex loosens her hold. 

Maggie's hands and eyes roam over Alex as she takes in the other woman's fresh scars. There's a cut on the edge of her hairline. The cut is dried, probably from the raid. Her bottom lip is bruised. And her hands – beautiful, elegant, soft, and very lethal hands- are dirty, bloody, and chapped. 

"Can I get a kit?" Maggie asks. 

She moves to step back and Alex clings to her. "Just grabbing the kit," say says reassuringly. It's Vasquez who tosses it with a nod and they both know that there are no hard feelings from earlier. 

Suddenly the cell is empty save the two women. Maggie moves to her knees and tends Alex's hands. When she's done, Alex cups her cheeks and touches their foreheads together. It is an anchoring act that they both need. They breathe each other in for a moment. No matter how dark it gets, Alex knows that this woman is her light and she for her. They share a chaste kiss and Maggie is on her feet again and sitting next to Alex on the bench; they are molded together from thigh to ankle. Hands clasped and resting in Maggie's lap. 

"I'm sorry for saying what I did." Alex’s scratchy voice echoes in the room.

Maggie just smiles and kisses her cheek. "It's okay, I know-

Alex cuts her off and turns towards her, smoothing a lock of hair behind her right ear. "It's not okay. I don't know how to do this without you. Any of this. When I think of what I've done - Christ, what I was about do." She sighs. "I mean, fuck Maggie, how can you say you lo-

Maggie silences her with a kiss to her lips. It takes Alex all of a second to relax and kiss the other woman back. It is not meant to stoke arousal but more do the job of manifesting her passion and her belief and her trust into an action. "Don't you dare finish that sentence Danvers. I love all the parts; do you understand me." She puts a finger under Alex's chin so that she is looking the other woman in the eyes. "I know you're a soldier and I love and respect that about you. We've both done things and we will continue to do things in the line of duty. But I will not let you compromise yourself, your soul, just because you get lost in the dark sometimes. That's what I'm here for.” She holds Alex’s gaze and entwines their fingers. “You know one of the things I missed most when we moved from Pittsburgh to Nebraska was being able to go the docks and watch the ships come in and leave. It was cool sometimes to see these little tugboats hitched up to the big breakers and the cargo ships and they'd have to guide them down the Monongahela and out to either the Ohio or the Alleghany river. It always made me giggle to see those tiny little boats just pulling them through ‘cause they sometimes needed help.”

Alex smiles. "So, you're saying you're like my little tugboat." Her smile finally reaches eyes.

Maggie groans. "You suck Danvers." She nudges her shoulder and chuckles "Like, why do I even tell you stuff?" she whines dramatically.

"Because you love me." The taller woman leans forward and pulls Maggie into a hug.

"Yeah I do." Maggie mumbles into her shoulder.

"Maggie's right, you know." The seated women startle and break apart at Kara's presence. The two women stand. "We both love you no matter what." Kara and Maggie share a smile.

"You heard all that little Danvers!?"

"I thought we talked about eavesdropping Kara."

"Well, actually someone left the intercom open." She none too subtly nods her head at the detective.

"Oops." Maggie grimaces and then shrugs. 

Kara just smirks. "No worries, Maggie. It's now my job as little sister to hold this over your head for years to come." She wiggles her eyebrows.  
Brown eyes grow wide with surprise at the admission. She is speechless for a moment and then the detective deflects with a playful, "But I don't even really like you that much."

Kara winks. "And sometimes I don't like you, so we're even." The shorter woman smiles at her.

Alex smiles her approval as she embraces her sister in a full body hug. Before Maggie can feel left out, Kara snakes her arm around and pulls the shorter woman into their embrace. 

Winn rushes in. "Ladies, as much as I hate to break up what seems like an awesome hug - and I'm secretly envious of - we got news. Maggie's info was good. We've got a lead."

Kara claps her hands together. "Yes, let's go get J’onn back!"

Simultaneously responses echo in the room: "No way, Little Danvers." "You are grounded."

"What!" she says with exasperation. "I can help."

With the same thought, Maggie sends a less than gentle punch to Superhero’s left shoulder just as Alex sends a slap to her right shoulder. Kara tenses, clenches her fists, and is clearly biting the inside of her cheek. From behind gritted teeth she emits a soft "owwww". 

"Not happening, Kara." 

She turns on the women with big blue eyes and a pouty lip. 

"That's a cute pout Supes' but it's not working." 

Kara watches as the two women walk out of the cell behind Winn and she follows behind grumbling and rubbing her shoulders. "I take back everything I just said. You two are the worst!" 

She could hear her sister’s laughter and Maggie’s voice from the top of stairwell. "Love you too, Supes!"

_Fade out… ___

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sure, come yell at me on tumblr if you feel the need. @csquirrel27


	7. The Shoebox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While cleaning out a closet in the now empty apartment, Alex stumbles across a shoebox in Maggie's closet. Just another lovely excuse for another possible backstory for Maggie Sawyer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since the tptb teased us with "non-white and non-straight" I'm having a lot of fun with Maggie's possible heritage and ethnicity. Just my take on things. Mistakes are all mine.

Detective Maggie Sawyer dramatically collapsed onto the newly cleaned, and now bare floor of her apartment with a thud. Alex's laughter bubbled up and echoed from the now empty bedroom. 

"What are you doing out there?" Alex’s words were slightly muffled as she stood in the bare closet, but the amusement in her words carried nonetheless.

Maggie smiled from the floor where she lay sprawled out on her back with a sweaty forearm draped haphazardly over her brow. "I'm dying is what, Danvers!" She moaned extra loud and Alex just laughed from inside the bedroom.

"You're ridiculous!" She called out and her voice bounced off the empty closet wall, filling the bare room and newly empty apartment. 

"I thought dating a superhero’s sister was supposed to have perks!", she playfully groused.

"Well, Kara did move all your big stuff." Alex's voice grew closer as she exited the bedroom and came to join her very exhausted girlfriend on the floor of her now cleaned and now empty apartment. 

The detective sat up and supported herself on her elbows, reclining as she watched her equally dusty and equally sweaty girlfriend enter the empty living room with a shoebox in her hand.

Maggie tilted her head in question. "Whatcha' got there Danvers?" Her brow creased.

"Not sure," she answered while sitting down next to Maggie. "Found it in the back of the closet."

Maggie sat up fully and pushed her hair off her forehead, curtailing long hair behind her ears. "Did you, now?" Her voice was quiet.

Alex, with a head tilt of her own, watched the smaller woman closely. She knew Maggie Sawyer's tells and the small voice the other woman emitted was a sign that she'd forgotten about the old shoebox on purpose. Alex placed the shoebox off to side before scooting herself behind Maggie and stretching out her legs, so that the smaller woman was safely surrounded. Alex made a concerted effort to not press her body flush against Maggie - not yet anyway, they're not there yet - she simply created a cocoon of sorts for them both. 

Alex leaned to her left and grabbed the box, which she then placed gently in Maggie's lap, as the other woman now sat cross-legged between Alex's strong thighs. The agent eased back and rested on toned arms that were on full display thanks to the striped teal tank top she wore. She very much wanted to brush thick dark hair away from Maggie's shoulder so she could press a kiss there, but she needed to wait. She needed for Maggie to give her some sign, needed to wait for the smaller woman to take a cleansing breath. She heard Maggie draw in a breath through her nostrils and she watched as defined back muscles flexed through her white tank top, as her lungs filled and she finally exhaled. 

Maggie released a steady and strong breath. The brunette's head remained bowed as she contemplated the faded brown of the box, with its bent edges and wilted masking tape that barely held the one end down. The detective sensed Alex's movement even before the taller woman leaned forward, and with long fingers gently gathered the length of her hair and swept it right, exposing her left shoulder. 

Her mind was a bit jumbled until Alex's searing kiss pressed softly into her trapezius muscle. Warm breath was the only thing left in the wake of two barely-there kisses along the smooth length of her neck. Maggie did not fight the shiver the ran up her spine. She felt the woman at her back ease away to rest once more on long arms with palms flat against the hardwood. When Maggie is ready, if she needs to, she knows that she will easily fall back into Alex's steady embrace. When Maggie is ready, if she needs to, she knows that the woman at her back will be her support and be her shelter - when she's ready.

For a moment, the only sounds that filled the empty apartment were the steady whir of the ceiling fans and the ambient hum of the central air cycling through the vents. Dark brown eyes regarded the box wistfully and she eased the top off, not sure if she was warier of the memories or the possibility of bugs. The glint of silver made her fling the top across the floor. Alex tensed behind her. "Silverfish," she replied quickly.

Alex grinned. "Gotcha."

The room grew quiet once more and Alex just watched from over the darker woman's shoulder as she stretched out her legs, so that the box now sat in the vee of her legs. Maggie made sure that her bare legs contacted Alex's and the agent took that as her cue to move closer. She easily slid forward thanks to the hardwood floors and the material of her cropped leggings. Now she was flush against the smaller woman and they both let out a simultaneous sigh. This was much better. Alex rested her chin on Maggie's shoulder just for the contact, because clearly she could see over her shoulder. Maggie turned her head a bit and was rewarded with a kiss before turning back to the box on the floor. 

Alex saw what appeared to be a stack of photos, a necklace of sorts coiled in the one corner, a shiny bauble or two and a yellowed envelope.

Maggie's nimble fingers went for the necklace first. She made quick work of a little knot and then with gentle fingers she knocked the dust from the beads. Alex was not sure what stone or mineral the beads were made from, but they were a beautiful wine red and the silver cross attached to the bottom needed polishing. She watched in wonder as Maggie handled the rosary delicately. 

Not a word was uttered as Maggie surveyed the rosary with her eyes. Dust fell off and she dragged her bottom lip across her teeth as she realized how long she had neglected this box and its contents. She placed the rosary with care across the box and vowed to take it to the jewelry shop on Monday. It was the least she could do, she thought to herself. She grabbed the stack of photos and watched as the nearly desiccated rubber band fell away. 

The stack was about two inches thick. The tell-tale square shape of a Polaroid jutted out at the bottom of the stack, but most of the pictures were small and thin and faded. 

"No sense in hiding this one." Maggie's voice was soft but steady as she held up a Polaroid. Alex's long fingers snatched it out of the air before she barely finished the sentence. Maggie's dimples are prominent even as a chubby baby. In the picture, her face, her hair, and pretty much all of her bib and the seat she's sitting in are covered in red sauce. Tiny hands are gripping spaghetti and baby Maggie's toothless smile is squeezing Alex's heart and quite possibly her ovaries. 

"Oh my god!", she squealed. "Look at you," she cooed. "You are a mess! I love it!"

Maggie blushed and nodded while Alex peppered her cheeks with kisses until they were both laughing. "I think that's the obligatory photo all parents have to take, right?" She shrugged and handed over two other Polaroids. 

In the second one, a barefoot and diapered Maggie was balancing on the feet of woman with her same smile and lighter eyes. "That's your sister, right?" Maggie nodded. They very rarely touched the subject of her siblings and Alex would not push. Her only concern now was making sure the woman in front of her knew how much she was loved and wanted and needed by her family - by the family they were making. 

Alex quickly flipped to the third photo and howled with laughter. "Well, it's good to know that your penchant for nudity was ingrained at birth." She smiled at the photo of a very naked maybe one-year old Maggie with a mess of curly hair already, gnawing on her foot on a Pirates blanket. "I'm putting all of these on the fridge!”, she declared. 

Maggie turned as if to reach back for the photos and Alex held them high above her head and out of the way. "No way! If you get to keep the photo of me and James drooling asleep in the Green room on the mantle, then I get these."

Maggie looked back at Alex and simply pecked her lips in tacit agreement. "Fine," she grumbled before turning back around. Her shoulders shook with laughter and then she took a deep breath as she shuffled a few more photos and then stopped.

Alex could feel her stiffen, so she sat down the Polaroids and leaned firmly against Maggie once more, resting her chin on her shoulder with her hands now on Maggie's thighs. Alex stared down at the photo and let out a soft gasp.

With deft fingers, Maggie held the thin sepia colored photo in her left hand. The top left edge was damaged by the glue that once held it fast to a scrapbook and the back side was thinning because it had been snatched from the book in haste. Fourteen-year old fingers didn't have time to think when she was trying to stuff what she could into a bookbag - fearful that should would never come back - hopeful even- that she would never come back. Come back to the home that had begun to unravel long before foolish confessions found their way into chintzy hallmark cards.

"My God, Maggie, is that-, how-, wow." Alex stumbled and started through a sentence as she examined the faded image on the very old photo. Auburn curls shook with wonder. She peered at Maggie and then back to the photo and then back to Maggie once more. Alex saw the hint of a smirk forming on the smaller woman's lips as she put the puzzle pieces together in her head. "Is this the part where you tell me you're a vampire?" Alex nuzzled a ticklish spot behind Maggie's left ear causing the other woman to shimmy her shoulder with a faint laugh.

"Not quite." She shrugged. "Strong genes."

"I'll say. She's beautiful." Alex's leaned over Maggie's shoulder and looked closely at the photo. Although the sepia colored photo was faded and the paper fragile, the striking and very familiar face came through despite the age. Piercing dark brown eyes stared out at the camera. Long thick black hair - longer than Maggie's- framed the woman's dark brown face. The best color Alex could come up with was mahogany. The woman in the photo was Maggie's spitting image or more precisely, Maggie was her doppelganger. Other than the darker skin tone, the features were near-identical. Alex’s fascination was written on her face. She gently squeezed the detective’s thighs after a few beats of silence. 

Sensing the question Alex had yet to ask, Maggie drew in a breath before speaking. "Magdalena. My Nonna. Well, technically my great-grandmother. My mother's grandmother." She felt as Alex rested her chin once more on her shoulder and Maggie tangled the fingers of her free right hand with Alex's hand on her thigh. She held the photo up at eye level in between her left thumb and forefinger. 

Alex was happy for the closer inspection. "Named for her too, I see." Maggie just nodded in response. "So, um, don't take this wrong way," she started with a chuckle. "But, um, she doesn't look very Italian to me." Alex arched a dubious eyebrow. 

Maggie grinned and turned her head just a bit to catch a glimpse of Alex. "So, you know a lot of Italians, do you?" Her query was playful. 

Alex smirked and shrugged. "I've met a few. Been to Italy a couple of times, so yeah, I feel good about my knowledge of Italians."

Maggie let out a snort of laughter. "Yeah, well, I never said she was Italian" Her tone was coy. She winked and set the photo back in the box before leaning back against the taller woman and gathering their clasped hands at her waist.

Alex's eyebrows were still raised in surprise as she waited for Maggie to settle against her. Maggie finally seemed comfortable once she could lay her head back against Alex's shoulder, which gave the other woman clear access to press a kiss to her forehead. They sat quietly for a long moment in the peace of the empty apartment. What Kara and the boys didn't move to Alex's apartment, made it to storage or were donated to the Boys’ and Girls’ Club in midtown. Today had just been for cleaning and painting. 

Soft lips pressed once more to Maggie's forehead and then her nose, which caused the smaller woman to laugh. "Am I going to get a story or what? You can't just show me that photo and then nothing." Maggie closed her eyes and she nestled into Alex's embrace and then let her lips curve into a small smile. 

"I don't really have a story." Maggie half shrugged.

"And you never asked?" The wheels in Alex's head began to turn. 

"Nope."

"Ha!" Alex cut skeptical eyes at the woman in her arms. "You mean, Maggie 'I detect' Sawyer looked at that photo and never asked. Come on."

"There were some things you just didn't ask." Brown eyes focused on the veins of Alex's hands.

Alex nodded in understanding. "Did you know her?"

Maggie closed and opened her eyes before staring out at a bare wall. "Not really. I just have images. She died when I was four, so my memories are like these photos." She nudged the box with her leg. "All I remember is that she smelled like cigarillos and coffee. She kept that rosary in her pocket and when she was angry she would mumble in Portuguese. I didn't figure it out until I was much older, but she always talked to my dad in Portuguese, cause she thought he didn't understand her."

"Not a fan of your father." Maggie just grunted as an answer and Alex knew to just move on. "Still can't believe you've never tried to find out more. I'm fascinated."

"I can see that." Maggie sat up with a sigh and a bittersweet laugh. She let go of Alex's hands to tousle her hair before pushing the shoebox off to the side. She crossed her legs once more, as if she was about to settle into lotus position and took a breath. 

Alex inwardly groaned because Maggie's body language suggested that she was about to deflect and ease out of the conversation. The past few months had not been all rainbows and unicorns, but between waking nightmares, panic attacks, and an agreement to talk more and drink less, both women had emerged from the brutal blur of alien invasions and torturous water cages with a firmer grip on each other and the family they were building. 

Despite her change in position, Maggie remained between Alex's outstretched legs. Alex took this as a positive, so she moved in closer to the other woman and turned so that they were facing one another. She watched quietly as Maggie worried the beads of the rosary between her fingertips. 

"You don’t have to tell me the story, if you don't want to." Alex's voice was soft with regret. She felt bad for pushing. They avoided the topic of Maggie's family, not so much because of the pain of the past, but because in Maggie's words: "the present is way fucking better." She wasn't wrong. 

Maggie looked up with warm brown eyes and a sad dimple in her cheek. She furrowed her brow as she realized Alex thought she had done something wrong. Maggie reached out with her left hand and pulled Alex's hand into her lap to hold. She looped the rosary loosely around the fingers of her right hand before grabbing Alex's other hand. She smiled warmly and kissed the concern from Alex's lips. "Hey," she said softly, "no need to worry. I'm just being maudlin and introspective."

Alex let out a howl of laughter. "Oh my god, you have to stop watching that show." She nipped at Maggie's lips and they both laughed. 

"What?! I like the show." Alex just rolled her eyes in response. "Anyway, there's just no story to tell really, or at least not one that was ever shared." Alex nodded and Maggie continued, "I asked my sister once when I was about ten and she just told me that I shouldn't be worrying about that at my age."

"Oh-kay. Well that's not helpful." She frowned. 

"She was 21 and living a world away. I think a kid sister calling to ask about family history was the last thing on her mind. I know Kara called you for crazy stuff when you first moved away for college.”

"Pfft! She still calls me." Both women laughed. "And now she calls you too, so there." She stuck out her tongue.

Maggie rolled her eyes and groaned. "Ugh, why did I give her my number?" They dissolved into a fit of laughter. When they caught their breaths again, Maggie touched her forehead to Alex's and steadied herself. She pulled back, but not before stealing a slow kiss. She could do nothing but smile as she watched Alex keep her eyes closed long after the kiss, with that little head tilt of contentment. "You still with me, Danvers?”

Alex opened her eyes and blushed. "Always, Sawyer." She pushed a lock of hair behind Maggie's ear and looked down at the rosary. "We should take that to the jeweler to get cleaned?" It came out like a question. 

Maggie glanced at the rosary in her hand. "Yeah," she said with a sigh. "Think I've neglected it a bit too long." It was clear she meant more than the rosary. "And for the record, there is no story. Well, not one anyone needs to write down or at least that anyone wanted to write down." Brown eyes glanced at the box briefly. "There were just things we didn't talk about a lot in my family. Like, how a kid from the town of Abruzzo ends up with Sawyer for a surname? Or like why did my father snatch my mom out of Sicily anyway? Nor did anyone ever ever ask how Magdalena and my mother's mother got to Sicily or why she spoke Portuguese better than she spoke Italian. Some shit we just didn't talk about." 

Alex scrunched her face up in confusion. "But those all seem like really intriguing and important things. Mysterious things. It's like trying to figure out a good calculus problem.

Maggie grinned at her girlfriend. "Nerd." She moved to put the rosary back in the box. 

"Cute nerd," Alex retorted with speed and smugness.

"Beautiful nerd," Maggie countered. Alex ducked her head as a blush crawled up her cheeks. "And you're right, I'm not saying there's not a mystery there, but I'm also saying that the answers are probably not the stuff of Disney and Pixar entertainment.” 

"Ok," she shrugged a shoulder. "Meaning?"

"Meaning, my beautiful nerd," Maggie began, before she was interrupted with a quick kiss to her lips. “Meaning, that Portugal at its height was the biggest importer/exporters of African slaves. They were in fact that last in the Americas to end slavery. And in the late 19th century, Brazil's population was composed of about 70% of people of African descent. So, yeah, maybe Magdalena's mother caught the eye of some sailor and they fell in love and he whisked his bride off to Sicily. Or maybe something less, how shall I say, 'romantic' happened." Maggie made air quotes. "And let's be real, do I really want to know how a young woman got all the way from Portugal to Sicily before the turn of the century?" She raised an eyebrow at the woman across from her. 

Alex trapped her bottom lip between her teeth as she contemplated Maggie's question. "To answer your question, no", she said quickly. The agent then narrowed her eyes at the other woman and pointed an accusatory finger in her direction. "And for the record, you _did_ do research!"

Maggie threw up her hands in mock-surrender. "Well, yeah!" she said matter-of-factly. "I'm a damn detective, Danvers. And. I. De-tect." She shot finger guns at Alex before smiling. Barely a breath went by before the taller woman surged forward and tackled her to the hardwood in a mass of laughter and limbs. 

Playful wrestling and tickling inevitably gave way to long deep kisses, heaving chests, and arms pinned to the floor. Maggie Sawyer found herself willingly at the mercy of the lithe agent above, as a toned thigh pressed against her core with determination. The whimper she emitted was one that only Alex Danvers had ever had the pleasure and privilege of hearing, because no other woman had ever been this close, this important, this in control of her. No other woman had made her come out of her skin with need and beg on her knees with want. No other woman had so thoroughly destroyed and disheveled her with a simple look or flick of a tongue or curl of fingers. 

They were barely out of their clothes as they crashed and came together on the empty floor of Maggie's empty apartment. Alex's name bounced off the walls and Maggie's pleasurable cries were swallowed up in Alex's kisses. Maggie curled strong arms up across Alex's back as she came down from her own orgasm and held fast to the taut and trembling body above her. Soft kisses and softer words tickled Alex's ears as she collapsed and buried her face in the crook of the smaller woman's neck. 

"H-Holy- wow. Wow.", Alex huffed out between breaths as Maggie grooved her fingers through her hair. "You know," she took a breath. "If my sister is nearby she's going to think one of us is having a heart attack." Her chuckle was muffled against Maggie's shoulder. "And then she's going to burst in here at the ready."

Maggie laughed, and with a voice turned honey and gravel she said, "well then I guess you should take your hand out of my shorts.” She felt Alex shake her head no against her neck.

"I don't wanna'."

Maggie pressed a kiss to the side of Alex's head. "Then don't." The detective sucked in a breath as Alex made it clear that she was comfortable right where she was. "Now that we've left a memento in this room, we should probably do the other rooms."

Alex lifted her head and met Maggie's darkened eyes with her own. She did a quick calculation. "That's like three other rooms," she said with a goofy grin.

Maggie snaked out her tongue before drawing it along Alex's jaw and nipping at her chin. She gave the woman above her a sinful smirk - dimples on display. "And at least two closets." 

Alex Danvers scrambled to her feet as fast as her wobbly legs could carry her. "I'm gonna put a note on the door!"

Maggie's laughter filled the empty apartment and she knew damn well nothing was getting unpacked that night...

_Fade out._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **come yell at me on tumblr if you so desire. I don't bite...usually. @csquirrel27


	8. Brother from Another Mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just an excuse to explore these relationships. Maggie and James (and the gang) enjoying a night out at the bar and just being the fabulous brotp that we imagine them to be on the show...but never see. Kara does some soul searching about her relationship and Alex does the Lord's work. ;) Takes place somewhere in the middle of the season.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been hanging out in my files for a couple of months because I was just never really happy with it, but I like these characters (and this friendship) too much to at least not put it out there. Be easy. Feel free to yell at me on Tumblr if you feel the need. @csquirrel27

National City’s not-so secret Alien dive bar was bustling with activity on a balmy Friday night. After the events of the past few months, the resilient bar and its equally resilient patrons were gathered together once more to celebrate, to wallow, to laugh, to talk trash, and to just exist without worry for a while. Very few humans frequented the place, but the ones that did were welcomed with open arms and not just because having the likes of an NCPD Detective, a DEO agent, and vigilante kept them extra safe, but because these people were like family at this point. 

Presently, that ragtag family was gathered around one of the high-top tables near the edge of the pool tables. The folks gathered at the table erupted into laughter and beer bottles clinked together in camaraderie. Winn, who at the moment was the butt of the joke, gave his assembled friends the middle-finger salute before stalking off to the pool table.

Alex grabbed her leather jacket off of the stool as she got ready to follow Winn. Before leaving she focused her attention on Maggie and James, who were doing a bad job of stifling their chuckles. “You two,” Alex pointed two long fingers at the still smirking detective and her partner in crime, “better stop teasing him like that.” There was no malice to her words; in fact, she was still fighting a smile.

“You just watch yourself Danvers, Winn might beat you this time.” Maggie’s dimples deepened as she smiled brightly and draped her arm over the back of her chair. She looked up at the taller woman and arched an eyebrow in challenge.

Alex scoffed before leaning over and pressing a quick kiss to the shorter woman’s lips. “Yeah right! You’ve got a better shot at beating me, detective.” She winked at the faux-shocked woman. Maggie swatted the retreating DEO agent on the behind as she walked to join Winn at the pool table.

Maggie’s eyes followed the sway of Alex’s hips as she swaggered away with Winn ahead of her. The brunette made a mental note to send a thank you letter to whomever designed Alex’s jeans. She licked her lips and her eyes glazed over a bit. 

To her right, James Olsen just shook his head. He didn’t need to follow her gaze to see what had her attention. James leaned with his elbows on the high-top table as he drank from his beer and bumped her shoulder, garnering her attention. She didn’t even bother to blush and they both fell into easy laughter at their earlier antics.

Maggie rolled her eyes and smiled at him. “You are going to get me into trouble, man.”

“Who me?” He feigned innocence and they broke into chuckles once more.

The spell was broken by a familiar voice. “What’s got you two so giggly?” Kara was all smiles as she threw an arm around James for a hug.

Still half hanging on James, Kara looked to the seated detective and smiled. “Hey Maggie!” She wiggled her fingers in greeting at the woman across from her.

“Little Danvers!” She raised her beer bottle. “Hey wait, I don’t warrant a hug?” She stuck her bottom lip out so far that Kara thought she might trip over that pout.

“Alright, alright!” Kara playfully rolled her eyes and held up her hands in surrender. “I give.” She poured on the dramatics as she gathered the smaller woman into a slightly too tight hug and rocked her back and forth, lifting her off the stool. “Does Detective Dimples feel better now?” Her voice was like treacle.

James laughed as Maggie squirmed. “Ugh. My ribs.” Kara quickly released her and her face flashed with worry. “Just messing, kiddo.” She winked at the blonde and they shared a smile.

“Where’s Alex?” She pushed up her glasses and drummed her fingers on the table top.

James answered by waving his bottle towards the pool tables. “She’s over there doing the Lord’s work and attempting to teach Winn how to play pool.” Three sets of eyes focused on the couple and watched with pained faces as the cue ball was launched into the air. Quick reflexes snatched the white missile out of the air and Alex set the ball back on the felt and snatched the cue from the red-faced computer whiz. “Like I said, the Lord’s work.”

The trio erupted into laughter. 

Mon-El’s too chipper voice cut through the sound. “What’s the joke? What’s so funny? What happened?” The questions were quick. He walked up to Kara and pressed close to her side, quickly pressing a kiss to the side of her mouth before she could even answer.

“Hey,” she said in a breath. She gently nudged him so that she could move her arms and not bang into Maggie. “You done with your shift?” She pushed up her glasses.

“I still have another hour, but I figured I’d stop and see you.” He smiled at her brightly. “They’ll be fine for a minute.”

Kara glanced at the bar which was gathering a small line of people at the bartender-less bar. 

"Actually, they may need you.” Maggie nodded towards the bar. “And besides, James and I are in need of another round.” She quickly downed her beer and shook the offending empty bottle at him. 

James followed and placed his now empty bottle on the table. “You’re a life-saver man.” He grinned at Mon-El, who finally seemed to acknowledge the other two people at the table.

“And I’d love a club soda and maybe a just a tiny glass of that liquor from Steigel-7.” She winked and he melted. 

“Coming right up!” He was all smiles as he headed back to the bar.

Two sets of deep brown eyes regarded Kara with question. “Feeling a little frisky there Little Danvers?”

Kara rolled her eyes at Maggie. “No, not really,” she avoided Maggie’s eyes and looked down at the table for a moment. “I just knew he’d go if I asked.” Her response was a little more candid than she even expected as she looked everywhere but her friends’ eyes.

“Kara, if-“James started with concern in his voice, but then Maggie cut the him off knowing exactly where his train of thought was heading. Tonight, was not the night for this conversation. Maggie was three beers and a shot of Jager into the night – they were definitely not about to have this conversation.

“That’s good looking out Kara, really.” She tapped the woman’s hand to garner her attention. Blue eyes caught brown and the detective smiled that disarming smile – the one with a show of teeth and her dimples on display. “That line’s getting pretty long.” She jerked a thumb towards the bar.

Blue eyes grew wide behind her glasses as she watched Mon-EL field drink orders for the now 8-deep line at the bar. She watched him for a moment not quite registering that two sets of eyes were focused on her as she watched the man behind the bar. Her brows were furrowed enough to form a little crinkle and she was absent-mindedly nibbling on the inside of her bottom lip.

Maggie didn’t need to be a detective nor did James need to be a Pulitzer prize winning photographer to know that Kara was trying very hard to puzzle out something. It was the same thing that had been needling at her for the last few weeks, but she had yet to voice anything. All her friends could do was wait and watch as she came to terms with whatever was bothering her. 

Quietly, they had all begun making bets – bets which none had shared with anyone else – about how long it was going to take her to figure it out.

Not one to let the blonde get too lost in her thoughts, Maggie decided to lighten the mood.

“So, kiddo, how’s unemployment going? You rack up a new high score on Mario Kart yet?”, Maggie teased.

Kara stuck out her tongue at the smirking detective and with just her index finger she pressed against her shoulder, effectively playfully shoving her. “I’ll have you know that I’m building my blog presence thank you very much,” she raised her chin defiantly. “And-I’m-currently-number-twenty-five-on-the-world-leader-board.” Her words came out in a jumbled mess, but they all fell into a fit of giggles at her admission.

“That’s it, I’m just going to have a talk with Snapper Kara.” James said with sudden seriousness. “This is stupid.”

“It’s fine, James.” She smiled at him. “Besides, I sent my resume out and I have some interesting offers from some other publications.” The pride was evident in her voice.

“Ooh,” Maggie leaned forward, “c’mon Little Danvers, spill!”

Kara just shook her head and played coy. “I don’t want to jinx anything.”

James frowned a bit, but then found a genuine reason to grin as he could see a spark of happiness from his friend. He raised his hand as if he were still holding a beer. “Well, Cat’s going to eviscerate me when she finds out, but hey, here’s to Kara Danvers: intrepid reporter and burgeoning blogger.”

They all raised imaginary drinks and then met for a three-way fist bump. 

Maggie caught sight of blue-hued waitress who was carrying their drinks. “Now we can toast for real.” She helped dish out the drinks. “Thanks, Sam.”

\---

 

 

James could barely press record on his phone through his laughter as he watched Kara drag a reluctant Maggie to the dancefloor, when her N’Sync jukebox selection blared through the speakers. The shorter woman spent most of time attempting to do the Robot while Kara belted out the song. Winn almost won a game of pool because Alex was laughing so hard at her sister and girlfriend. 

Abruptly, the laughter faded away when Prince’s “Kiss” faded in and Alex couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the lip sync performance Maggie seemed to be giving just for her. Maggie eventually left Kara at the edge of the dance floor when Alex crooked her finger and beckoned the detective over. Maggie obliged and swayed her hips seductively causing everyone around them to blush.

"Keep it PG people!" Winn squealed.

Kara shielded her eyes and James just looked at the ceiling and then gently elbowed Kara in the arm. 

"So, we taking bets?" he asked with a smile.

Kara, relieved to look anywhere but the liplock that Maggie and Alex were engaged in, turned to him with wide eyes and an even wider smile. "I know right! Who's going to propose first?"

"My money's on Maggie."

"Of course it is!" They laughed and watched the two women. 

They both watched as Alex laughed and looped her arms around the shorter woman’s neck. "You are a lunatic!"

"Yeah, but I'm your lunatic." Maggie wiggled her eyebrows and pecked Alex's lips, cognizant of not lingering too long lest they put on a real show.

Kara heard her sister groan and watched as she grabbed Maggie by her heather grey v-neck t-shirt before pulling her in for a slow kiss. "Totally Alex."

James swigged his beer and swore he saw Maggie's knees buckle. "Two dozen doughnuts from the place you love, says Maggie."

"Oh, you are on, Mr. Olsen! And I'll raise you a steak dinner from that fancy Argentinian place.”

His eyes went wide and he held up his hand for Kara to slap. "Bet,” he said while extending his pinky. When Kara beamed a thousand-watt smile at he, he quickly added, "don't break my pinky!"

Kara rolled her eyes and gripped his pinky with her own as they sealed the deal. They fell into comfortable laughter as she squeezed his bicep and rested her head on his shoulder. "I've missed just goofing off with you."

James just smiled at her warmly and they shared an affectionate look of what was once possible even though they both knew that ship had probably sailed. He nudged her shoulder before they got too misty eyed. He began to say something when Mon-El invaded his personal space from the other side.

The other man wore a bit of a confused scowl on his face. 

James let go of a sigh. "What's up Mike?" 

"Finally, off shift. You mind if I borrow my girl, Jimmy." There was a hint of challenge in his eyes.

James gritted his teeth and he felt Kara tense next to him as she stood up fully and rubbed the ever-growing crease in her forehead.

"Dude, I told you," he started gently. "Call me James. I haven't been Jimmy since I was 12 and running around with a Polaroid camera in my back pocket.” 

The other man put on a fake smile. "Sorry, man, it's you know - still not used to nicknames and all this stuff." He shrugged as if that was the answer to everything.

James finished his beer and deposited it on the table and stepped back. "You've been here for what, eight months? I trust you can catch up." He reached for his now empty bottle. "Getting a refill." He looked to Kara with an unasked question.

She shook her head. "I'm good James, thank you." She looked away for a moment and then they shared brief eye contact. His eyes were soft and Kara’s were apologetic. The corner of his mouth hinted at a smile and Kara visibly relaxed. With that he turned on his heels as he heard Kara say to Mon-El, ”I think I'm about ready to go anyway. Long day." There is defeat in her voice. James balls his free hand into a fist and heads to the end of the bar quick, not wanting to hear to coming whine and grumbling. 

James leans with his forearms on the bar and waits the for the Empath to notice him. "Hey Salah, can I get another Stella?"

"Make that two and two bourbon backs." Maggie is at his right with a knowing look in dark brown eyes. 

"Don't say it." He warned.

"Say what?" Her eyebrows lifted in mock surprise as their drinks appeared. Maggie downed the water she had been holding. "How about some darts! Me kicking your ass will make you feel better." There was that signature shit-eating grin.

James rolled his eyes and grinned. "Whatever, Sawyer, bring it."

"No worries, I'll let you down easy, son." She popped her imaginary collar causing the taller man to laugh out loud.

"Did you just "son" me?" He was incredulous; his question asked through a laugh.

Maggie shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly. "Just saying, when you are losing you might be calling me daddy!" She blew him a kiss.

James groaned. "You know what Sawyer, you get in one good kidney punch during a sparring session and you think you are hot shit." His smile was all teeth as he watched the shorter woman square up as if ready to box - bouncing back and forth on her toes. He stretched out his arm and pressed his hand against her forehead like an older sibling might keep a toddler at bay.  


Maggie played along and flailed her arms, punching the air with her fists. If her goal was to make James laugh, then she was winning - hands down. "Alex, how much do you like your girl?" He called over towards the pool tables.

From her perch on the edge of the pool table, Alex just laughed into her drink. She took in the sight of a man she considered her brother and the woman who was her everything and she couldn't fight the face splitting smile. Alex Danvers didn't know it was possible to be this in love and this happy. She took a breath to steady herself. "Oh my god, you two are ridiculous. But really, James, I really really really like her." She batted her eyes lashes at the taller man and then winked at Maggie. "I kinda wanna' keep her."

James pretended to ponder her words. "Fine," he said in a huff as he retracted his hand and then scooped Maggie up by the waist as she fell into him. "I'll try to bring her back in one piece," he called over his shoulder.

"Just not the face, okay!" Alex shouted out with a laugh at their retreating forms.

She turned to Winn and they just laughed. "Okay, Winn are you read to learn this game?” 

Winn let out a “whoop” of confidence and focused on Alex. “Let’s do this!”

Alex said a silent prayer and grabbed the rack.

On the other side of the bar, James and Maggie placed their drinks on the empty ledge and Maggie chalked in their names on the board.

\----  


While Maggie and James traded bad jokes between throws and Alex went to refill a pitcher of beer in the hopes that somehow less coordinated limbs would help Winn, Kara and Mon-El were huddled together on two bar stools. 

Kara was usually grateful that they all respected her privacy, but inwardly she kind of wished for the distraction of Winn's bad pool playing to her right or the game of insults that Maggie and James were engaged in to her left. The blonde could not hold in the sigh that she emitted as she tuned back into whatever Mon-El was saying.

“Am I boring you?” His tone bordered just on the edge of annoyed as he traded in his club soda for something stronger.

Kara managed a smile and focused on his eyes. They were nice eyes, she reminded herself. “I’m just really tired, like I said.”

Immediately, he pouted and leaned in to take Kara’s hands in his own. “How can you be tired? It’s Friday and we’ve barely hung out this week. Just a little longer.” He batted his eyelashes.

Normally, Kara would swoon and give in, but the exhaustion of the week both in and out of her uniform was beginning to manifest. “I thought the plan was to meet here and leave when your shift was up. That was an hour ago.”

“I know, but you’re here now and I figured we could just stay for a bit.” 

Kara removed her right hand from his so she could pinch the bridge of her nose. She looked up and avoided his eyes only to meet the concerned eyes of her sister from the other end of the bar. Alex furrowed her brow in a silent offer of help. Kara waved her off and watched as Alex reluctantly walked back to the pool table.

Kara squared her shoulders and gave Mon-El a genuine smile. “Look, you can stay but I’ve got to go. I just need a little bit of sleep. I’ve been writing for the last two days in between all this Cadmus mess.”

He sucked his teeth. “Seriously? C’mon Kara. You write from home. It can’t be that bad and it’s not like you don’t have a whole government agency at your back. Let’s blow off some steam.” He stood and tugged at her arm in an effort to get her on the dancefloor.

Kara eased out of his grip and remained seated. She could feel her blood pressure rising. “I know you don’t get that writing is important to me, but I’d appreciate it if you’d have a little more respect for what I do.” She stood up and gathered her satchel. “You can stay. I’m done here and I’m going.”

Mon-El got that hangdog and perplexed look on his face, as if to suggest that he was unsure of what he had done. “Kara, I’m sorry I am. I-I didn’t mean it like that. Just one drink and one dance.” He reached for her but she stepped back. Mon-El huffed out a breath in annoyance. He quickly schooled his features and managed what he thought was a soft smile. “You’re right. You should rest. We should just go.”

Kara gripped the leather strap of her bag and met his eyes. “You should stay. I need a little time to myself, I think.” Before he could pout, she continued, “besides I think Winn and Alex might need your help at the pool table.” She pointed behind him and sure enough, Alex was waving him over and then Winn was there to guide him over. Kara gave her sister a small thumbs-up in thanks and Alex just nodded before clapping Mon-El none so gently on the back in a show of welcome to the game.

Kara took a deep breath and released it in hopes easing the tension through her shoulders. She knew it made sense to be with Mon-El. It was safe and it was comfortable. But as she glanced around at her friends she was beginning to wonder if safe and comfortable actually made sense. The sound of Maggie’s triumphant laughter broke her from her thoughts, as she turned towards the exit. Maybe she’d just stay at her sister’s tonight or even at Maggie’s place. She’d done it before and she honestly did just want some sleep. And some alone time.

Kara watched as Maggie celebrated a win by standing on a chair, bringing her eye level with James. Kara just laughed as she watched James scoop the petite woman over his shoulder and swing her down quickly, pretending to body slam her. Maggie yelped and James just laughed as he put her on her feet. The shorter woman shoved him with a laugh and then stuck out her tongue.

"I'm going to have to get you two a wrestling room," Kara said as she came to a stop by their table. "I'm heading out. Just wanted to say bye."

Without thinking, Maggie asks, "Alone?" She almost wanted to take it back.

"I'm exhausted." She was telling the truth.

"Well, sweet dreams little Danvers" She opened her arms and Kara easily fell into for a hug. Maggie slipped her door key into Kara's pocket. Kara furrowed her brow wondering for a moment how Maggie knew what she’d been thinking about. "I'm not paying for another lock," Maggie whispered. Kara had the good sense to blush. "Thanks Maggie." She smiled at the shorter woman and then hugged James before heading out of the exit.

The two friends watched her leave and they both expected to see Mon-El come running after her, but as they caught sight of him he was being conveniently distracted by Alex at the pool table. Maggie lifted her chin in a head nod of approval towards the Agent and Alex just smirked. 

"Christ almighty that dude is a fucking idiot." James mumbled the words but Maggie heard him anyway.

"Well, we could always break them up." Maggie was half serious as she shrugged her shoulders. 

James leaned down and squinted his eyes at his friend. "Like sabotage Sawyer?"

"Like it would be hard." They were whispering now like school girls on the playground.

"Some miscommunication perhaps?"

"Sure. Or a better date." Maggie’s brown eyes brightened with mischief.

James arched an eyebrow and ran his tongue across his top teeth. "You don't say. Hmm, who's the lucky guy?" Now, it was getting interesting. They were just joking. All in good fun.

"I'm sure there's some DEO agent we could vet."

"Nah, nah. No DEO. Alex would lose her shit."

They both laughed. "True, true. Hmm, someone unexpected perhaps? Ooh, like a chef!" The fantasy was in full swing now.

"Oh god, she would be in heaven. Or some professor."

"Where we gonna’ find a professor, Olsen?" She swatted him. "Nah, think bigger." They both paused to think. Maggie's eyes grew large. "How about a CEO?"

"Ooh, powerful. Okay, okay. Wait, a CEO of what?"

She answered cheekily. "Oh, I don't know maybe a multi-million dollar company looking to change lives."

James squinted his eyes in thought for a moment and then let out a loud laugh. "Luthor?!" 

Maggie shushed him and smiled. "Why not? Sure. A Luthor and a Super! Shit man, the tabloids would love that!" 

James looked like he was really imagining it. "I mean she's hot."

Maggie nodded. "All dark hair and red lipstick. Yep." He gave her the side eye. "What man? A hot woman is a hot woman. I’m monogamous, not blind."

He nodded in agreement. "I could see it. And I mean, you know Kara's team Lena, always." They both nodded in agreement again and then they were both quiet as they both found themselves actually pondering the reality of what was only meant to be a joke between friends who were out drinking. Was it really that far-fetched? After all, Kara had been the only one to never doubt Lena even when the evidence was clear. They seemed to have a simultaneous moment of epiphany. Lena and Kara together was not as far-fetched as they had imagined.  
The detective was the first to snap back to reality. "Are we seriously having a conversation about setting up Lena Luthor and Kara Danvers?" As Maggie spoke the words into the air the two friends just stood silent for a few heartbeats.

"Um, you know what, no, no. We are not." James countered. "We, you and I," he pointed between them, "are playing a game of darts, talking trash and shooting the shit. Just shits and giggles."

They locked eyes and both nodded. "You're right. No harm. No foul. Right? Just for shits and giggles." She raised her tumbler of bourbon and James clinked his own glass against it. Without even uttering the declaration, they silently agreed to not talk about this again. Ever. Maybe. Definitely. 

"All right Sawyer, you ready lose this game or what?"

Maggie smiled devilishly. "If you've got money to lose, brother?"

James guffawed. "Let's do this." 

They smiled conspiratorially at one another and bumped fists. 

 

_Fade out._


End file.
